Continuous Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals Bill Clears House

The House of Representatives passed a bill in a bipartisan 368-56 vote this week that aims to promote innovation in continuous manufacturing, which is used to produce drugs more efficiently than the conventional batch production process.

The National Centers of Excellence in Advanced and Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Act would allocate $100 million in funding from fiscal 2022 to 2026.

“Increased adoption of these technologies could open the door to a more robust U.S. manufacturing base, lower production costs and a more secure drug supply chain,” said Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), who introduced the bill in July along with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.).

Guthrie said the bill would also help the U.S. become less reliant on China by shoring up the domestic supply chain.