Analytical Champions: Robert Wethman

Bristol Myers Squibb’s Robert Wethman discusses real-time spectroscopy, AI, and the next era of biopharmaceutical manufacturing

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Robert Wethman says analytical science supports manufacturing with robust methods and increasingly shapes development and manufacturing timelines and outcomes.
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He identifies simultaneous growth in molecular, modality, and process complexity, alongside compressed timelines, as a major source of analytical bottlenecks.
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Wethman says real-time spectroscopy implementation requires early collaboration, shared goals, high-quality data, and attention to operational impact and support.
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He reports that at-line spectroscopy has provided a practical bridge at BMS-owned and CDMO sites while teams evaluate full real-time monitoring.
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Wethman cites regulated-environment readiness among instrument vendors and expanding AI-based modeling as important developments in analytical manufacturing.

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