Previously, reconfiguring pharmaceutical or biotech labs to develop new or improved remedies was time-consuming and expensive, but now that’s changing as life sciences companies increasingly eschew conventional lab design in favor of flexible spaces to keep up with the pace of innovation.
It’s part of a wider shift to shorten research and development (R&D) timelines and reduce costs as shifting research priorities force life sciences companies to rethink their established ways of working, according to JLL’s Journey to the Next Gen Lab report. Their challenge is considerable, given that return on R&D investment for large biopharmaceutical firms has declined significantly, from 10.1 percent in 2010 to 3.2 percent in 2017.
Every company’s game plan will be different, but speed and efficiency are key to get therapies to market faster than ever. And that means lab reconfigurations have to happen faster than ever, too.
“Cost pressures and the need to shorten the product pipeline are changing the definition of a desirable laboratory facility,” says Roger Humphrey, Executive Managing Director and leader of JLL’s Life Sciences group. “In addition to state-of-the-art equipment and technology, and amenities that will appeal to top talent, modern lab space needs to be dynamic and built to accommodate change.”
A close-up on flexible lab space
In a flexible lab space, scientists can get faster results, in large part because they can initiate new studies faster without having to wait for major renovations. More flexible design can also help companies navigate the current shortage of suitable lab space in many U.S. markets. As an added benefit, when lab spaces can be re-arranged on demand, they support more engagement and collaboration between researchers, and make a facility more appealing to talent.