www.pharmtech.co m he pharmaceutical industry faces new challenges associated with increased market globalization, demands for cleaner environments, higher customer expectations, the push for increased profitability, tighter FDA regulations, and the ever-increasing demand to reduce time to market. The industry is under pressure to reduce waste and improve process efficiency. The traditional approach of taking a product from laboratory scale to pilot plants and then to production is no longer attractive. Process and product development often are initiated simultaneously, and as a result, rapid prototyping and analysis are required. To meet these challenges, the industry must implement innovation at