In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has faced significant challenges globally, driven by rapid technological evolution and increasing demands for innovation. Research and development in this sector increasingly rely on the security of generating and storing information, leading many control systems to be created and managed by internal teams.
In this context, the modernization of legacy systems becomes an essential strategy to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of these companies. This challenge was faced by a major global pharmaceutical company, a leader in its segment. The organization developed its own system for controlling new drugs seven years ago, adopting technology that is gradually being discontinued.
During this period, the legacy system was not improved, failing to make important changes to ensure its continuity. The act digital team was hired to perform this task, leading the update project and recognizing the need to align operations with contemporary sector demands.
Modernization addressed the challenges of technological obsolescence, aiming to optimize operational efficiency, enhance functionalities, ensure operational stability, and, above all, strengthen the security of data and processes involved.
Client: global pharmaceutical leader in biotechnology
Dedicated to offering medications with innovative biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry that hired act digital to update its legacy system operates globally and is a leader in the market. The increasing competitiveness in the industry, which increasingly adopts new technologies and scientific advancements, demands continuous adaptation to technology and, essentially, attention to data security, especially regarding innovations in new substances.
In this context, the company relies on an internal team for developing its own systems. This care reflects the importance of industrial secrecy and demonstrates the constant challenge of technological updates, covering both the core business of the company and modernization in the Information Technology area.
Challenge: Modernization of Legacy System for Innovation Process Control
For seven years, the pharmaceutical company has relied on an internally created legacy system for controlling new drugs, resulting in a fundamental database for the area. Despite its relevance, the platform, which was aligned with the company’s innovation processes, became obsolete over time and was falling out of use.
In this scenario, creating a new platform or buying a tool to replace the legacy system presented high financial and operational costs. One of the associated risks was the potential loss of data and processes related to research on new substances.
Before resorting to this option, the company sought to update the legacy system, a project led and conducted by act digital. The update process (Tech Stack Upgrade) focused on addressing problems caused by instabilities and the lack of improvements over the years.
The technology used in creating the system was being discontinued, requiring a transition to newer versions. The legacy system was originally developed using AngularJS technology, and it was necessary to migrate to Angular 2+. Additionally, functionalities that needed to be incorporated and others that required correction were identified throughout the project.
Solution: Modernization of Legacy System with Technological Migration
Faced with the challenges presented, the act digital team worked on analyzing the problems to propose solutions compatible with the scenario.
Methodology
The methodology employed throughout the project included stages such as:
- Mapping of problems and areas for improvement.
- Conducting unit and end-to-end tests.
- Refactoring some of the existing components that were in AngularJS.
- Migrating from AngularJS technology to Angular 2+ (above version 12).
- Incorporating new functionalities related to the segment’s new challenges.
Applied Technologies
The technologies applied to the legacy system’s update include:
- Angular 2+
- Node.js
Results: Stabilization, Security, and Performance
The modernization of the legacy system allowed the continued use of the platform, which now exhibits more stable, functional, and efficient performance.
Among the results observed after the update are:
- Agility in Creating Formulations: Users now have access to data that can be used more simply and quickly. For example, transporting information from one spreadsheet to another for an entire series of data, something that was previously only possible pointwise (one piece of information at a time). This resulted in a 50% gain in agility.
- Increased Confidence in Use: The platform was falling out of use due to difficulties, and today, users prefer to use the legacy system.
- Higher Level of Protection and Security: After the update of the legacy system, no security incidents were reported or detected.
- Improved Performance: After the update, the legacy system showed a performance gain of about 30%, a percentage that will be even higher with server updates and other mechanisms linked to the platform.
- Bug Resolution: Over 40% increase in bug and failure resolution due to the greater stability and agility of the legacy system.
How Can We Help Your Company
Driven by the constant need for innovation, the healthcare sector is one of the most benefited by digital transformation. However, adopting new technologies also poses challenges related to security, reliability, and competitiveness.
The act digital team consists of specialized professionals who understand the dynamics of this market and works collaboratively with our clients to provide customized solutions aligned with the challenges they face. In this segment, we adopt a wide range of technologies. Check out the main ones:
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Big Data and Cognitive Computing: The use of big data and cognitive computing represents an evolution in data management and analysis in the healthcare sector, including the pharmaceutical industry.
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Artificial Intelligence: The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is enabling advances in diagnostics, treatments, and operations. Machine learning systems can analyze large datasets to predict diseases, personalize treatments, and even discover new drugs.
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Telemedicine: Access to remote medical assistance through telemedicine sets new parameters for patient monitoring and rapid information exchange among healthcare professionals.
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RPA and APIs: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) adds efficiency to administrative and operational processes in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, integration through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) facilitates communication between various systems, improving interoperability and enabling the creation of integrated solutions that optimize the delivery of healthcare services and information management.
Updating legacy systems allows for the efficient use of essential and proprietary resources developed with strategic purposes for the industry. Modernizing these platforms over time ensures their continuity, preserving information, and incorporating new functionalities. Need to renew your company’s legacy system? Contact our specialists.
