Danish multinational pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk has adopted a mixed reality solution to help it improve processes in a tightly regulated pharma GxP manufacturing environment.

Novo Nordisk is currently using a range of Microsoft technologies to enhance and manage various shop-floor tasks at its manufacturing facilities. These include Microsoft HoloLens 2, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides and Microsoft Power Platform.

“Over a year ago, Microsoft presented us with the ideal opportunity to try out their solutions in a sandbox environment,” said Carsten Lützhøft, Senior Director of Process Digitalisation. “Since then, we’ve been able to test them, mature them and figure out how to scale them in a pharma context.”

Following a series of trials in the sandbox environment, Novo Nordisk has started using its solution at five production facilities, with more to come. “Those five sites were part of our pilot sites, where we’ve gained experience and gathered knowledge,” said Lützhøft. 

At the heart of the solution is the HoloLens 2, Microsoft’s mixed reality headset. Employees wearing them can perform a range of activities and share – via Remote Assist – what they’re seeing in real-time with their offsite colleagues. This encourages greater collaboration between different teams, putting frontline workers in direct contact with experts.   “We started using Remote Assist during the pandemic and we haven’t stopped since then,” Lützhøft said. “It was extremely useful when part of our workforce was forced to operate remotely and now, we’re extending it to a much broader set of uses.” 

A similar concept applies to Augmented Instructions, Novo Nordisk’s flagship app powered by Microsoft Dynamics365 Guides. Here too, the company is using the HoloLens 2 to replace paper-based processes and speed up manual tasks. 

“We’ve changed the process of how we create instructions for our technicians and operators in our production facilities,” said Lützhøft. “We are increasingly switching from written instructions to an augmented reality version.

“What we’re essentially doing is simplifying and augmenting a range of manual processes, like clearing production lines, using the HoloLens 2 and Guides,” said Lützhøft. 

Using the HoloLens 2, technicians can go through these often complex procedures by following 3D instructions for each step in real time. This helps to guarantee that every step has been completed successfully, while allowing them to visualise their full work environment.

“What we fundamentally want is to drive change in the fight against diabetes and other chronic diseases. To do that, we need as large a patient reach as possible. And modern technology is a key way of getting there,” said Ole Feddersen, Corporate Vice President of Product Supply Technology Transformation at Novo Nordisk.

“The pharma industry, in which we operate, has traditionally been slower than other industries when it comes to implementing novel technologies, both within manufacturing and the digital domain,” he said. “This is often due to the strict regulatory requirements we must adhere to.

“But we’ve recently decided to take a more proactive approach and place ourselves at the forefront of tech adoption – driving a full digitalisation of our production processes.”

The move is promising to revolutionise the way some production activities are carried out, as well as make work easier for shop-floor employees. 

“Our goal is to help people in our production facilities to operate more easily and efficiently,” he said. “We’re not replacing them with technology – we’re just augmenting their work.”