AI Supercharges Fermentation: TAPI Boosts Output and Cuts Emissions

TAPI's AI-driven feed system lifts drug productivity by over 15% while shrinking its carbon footprint.

25 Jul 2025

A new chapter in pharmaceutical manufacturing is unfolding as TAPI pioneers the use of AI to revolutionize microbial fermentation. In a July 21, 2025 post to its Knowledge Center, the company announced the deployment of an AI-powered substrate feeding system that has already delivered more than a 15% increase in productivity while simultaneously reducing its carbon footprint.

Fermentation, the backbone of many active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production lines, is notoriously sensitive to fluctuations in nutrient supply, especially in campaigns that stretch beyond 200 hours. Traditional feed methods often rely on fixed schedules and manual interventions, which can lead to inefficiencies and inconsistency.

TAPI’s approach replaces these static systems with a real-time, closed-loop control platform powered by artificial intelligence. The system continuously monitors fermentation conditions such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, and metabolic activity and makes predictive adjustments to nutrient delivery on the fly. The result is tighter process control, improved product consistency, and a measurable boost in efficiency.

“This wasn’t just a theoretical exercise—the system is live and delivering results,” commented  a senior TAPI spokesperson. “The system calculates and adjusts the substrate dosage rate automatically, removing the need for manual sampling and reactive adjustments.”

Rolling out such a system in a highly regulated GMP environment posed significant challenges. TAPI had to retrofit legacy equipment with sensors and automation layers and ensure full compliance with FDA requirements for data integrity, audit trails, and process control. The project also demanded robust digital infrastructure to enable real-time analytics and secure automation.

Still, the effort reflects a growing shift in pharma toward digital transformation. Real-time monitoring approaches like this are consistent with regulators’ push toward data-rich, in-process control.

As biomanufacturing grows in complexity, TAPI’s success offers a blueprint for others. The company’s AI-enhanced fermentation system is not just a tech upgrade; it is a strategic step toward a future of smarter, greener, and more resilient pharmaceutical production.