iConsensus · Project

Smart Sensors and Software That Cut Biopharmaceutical Production Guesswork

healthTestedTRL 6

Imagine brewing beer, but instead of beer you're growing living cells that produce life-saving medicines — and you can't see what's happening inside the tank. Right now, biopharmaceutical manufacturers take samples by hand and wait hours for lab results, flying blind most of the time. iConsensus built sensors and software that plug directly into these production tanks, giving real-time readings of what the cells are doing and what quality the drug protein has. Think of it like putting a fitness tracker on your production process instead of only checking your health once a week at the doctor.

By the numbers

consortium partners across industry and academia

industry partners involved in development and validation

81%

industry participation ratio in the consortium

countries represented in the consortium

SMEs participating in the project

EUR 4,700,000

EU contribution to project development

total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Biopharmaceutical manufacturers currently run cell culture processes with limited real-time visibility. They rely on manual sampling and offline lab analysis, which means hours or days of delay before knowing if a batch is going wrong. This blind spot leads to batch failures, wasted materials, and slow development cycles — especially painful when each production run of a biological medicine costs tens of thousands in raw materials alone.

The solution

What was built

The project built an integrated analytical platform combining on-line and at-line sensors for real-time monitoring of mammalian cell cultures producing biopharmaceuticals. Concrete deliverables include algorithms that reduce measurement effort through model-based calibration, procedures for lifecycle management of chemometric models (covering recalibration and validation), and high-throughput micro-bioreactor systems for rapid process screening — all designed for integration into standard stirred tank bioreactors.

Audience

Who needs this

Contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) producing biologicsBiosimilar developers needing faster process developmentBioreactor and PAT equipment vendors looking for next-gen sensor integrationQuality control managers at large pharma companies running mammalian cell cultureBioprocess engineering consultancies advising on manufacturing optimization

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) producing monoclonal antibodies or biosimilars

If you are a CDMO dealing with batch failures and lengthy quality testing during mammalian cell culture — this project developed an integrated sensing platform with on-line and at-line detection methods that measure multiple factors in real time. With 17 industry partners validating the approach, the tools were designed for direct integration into stirred tank bioreactors already on your production floor.

Bioprocess Equipment & Instrumentation

mid-size

Target: Companies selling bioreactor systems, process analytical technology (PAT) sensors, or bioprocess software

If you are an equipment vendor looking to add real-time monitoring capabilities to your product line — this project created micro-bioreactors for high-throughput screening plus algorithms that reduce measurement effort through model-based calibration. The consortium of 21 partners across 7 countries tested these tools across multiple production scenarios, giving you a validated technology to license or integrate.

Biosimilar & Generic Biologics

any

Target: Biosimilar developers needing faster process development and tighter quality control

If you are a biosimilar company struggling with long development timelines because each cell culture run requires weeks of offline analysis — this project built high-throughput screening tools that speed up process development by running many conditions in parallel with automated feedback control. The platform includes procedures for lifecycle management of chemometric models, so your calibration stays valid as process conditions change.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this sensing platform?

The project received EUR 4,700,000 in EU funding across 21 partners over 4.5 years, giving a sense of the R&D investment behind these tools. Actual licensing or equipment costs would depend on negotiations with the consortium's 17 industry partners. Contact us for an introduction to discuss pricing.

Can this work at industrial production scale, not just in the lab?

Yes, the project specifically targeted both micro-bioreactors for high-throughput screening and classical stirred tank vessel bioreactors used in full-scale production. The objective explicitly mentions implementation in GMP production environments when deemed suitable.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

IP is distributed across 21 consortium partners in 7 countries, with 17 being industry players. Given the IMI2 funding structure (public-private partnership), licensing arrangements are typically negotiable. We can connect you with the right partner for your specific need.

Does this meet regulatory requirements for pharma manufacturing?

The project was designed with GMP compliance in mind — the objective states that implementation in GMP production was planned where suitable. The deliverables include procedures for lifecycle management of chemometric models, which aligns with regulatory expectations for validated analytical methods.

How long would it take to integrate this into our existing bioprocess?

Based on available project data, the platform was designed for integration into existing stirred tank bioreactors, suggesting compatibility with standard equipment. The model-based calibration algorithms were specifically built to reduce measurement effort, which should shorten setup time. A pilot integration timeline would depend on your specific setup.

What exactly does the sensing platform measure?

The platform measures multiple factors in both the cell culture environment and the produced drug protein itself, using on-line sensors (continuous, in the tank) and at-line methods (rapid, near the tank). Specific parameters include those relevant to mammalian cell cultivation for biopharmaceutical production.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavily industry-driven project with 17 out of 21 partners (81%) coming from industry, including 8 SMEs — an unusually high ratio that signals strong commercial intent rather than pure academic research. The consortium spans 7 countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, UK), covering the main European biopharmaceutical hubs. With only 4 universities and zero pure research organizations, this project was clearly built to produce tools that work on real production floors, not just in laboratories. The IMI2 funding scheme (Innovative Medicines Initiative) further confirms this is a public-private partnership with direct pharma industry backing.

KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLANCoordinator · SE
BECKMAN COULTER GMBHparticipant · DE
PFIZER LIMITEDparticipant · UK
MICRONIT BVparticipant · NL
SANOFI-AVENTIS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHparticipant · DE
GLAXOSMITHKLINE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT LIMITEDparticipant · UK
UCB BIOPHARMAparticipant · BE
RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHENparticipant · DE
MICRONIT HOLDING BVparticipant · NL
IPRASENSEparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITE DE MONSparticipant · BE
BYONDIS BVparticipant · NL
PRESENS PRECISION SENSING GMBHparticipant · DE
BAYER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITAET HOHENHEIMparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

The project was coordinated by KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. Contact SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the right consortium partner for your needs.

Order a report on this consortium See KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLAN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how iConsensus technology could fit your bioprocess? We connect businesses with the right research partners — contact us for a free one-page brief.

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