Beyond the innovation we deliver in our Pharmaceutical, MedTech and Consumer Health business segments (see section: R&D Innovation), innovation underpins the way we work, the way we manage our operational facilities and the value we create across every business function. In 2021, as in every year, we advanced multiple innovations throughout our operations. Some examples follow:
Advanced manufacturing technologies
Reducing release times for medicines
Janssen developed and adopted a new process for real-time product quality release based on surrogate dissolution modeling. This model calculates the expected dissolution of a tablet without the need to physically dissolve the tablet in dissolution media, significantly decreasing release times by up to 50%, reducing the standard deviation of product release by up to 90%, optimizing inventory levels by up to 15% and reducing operational costs across all product lines. This is the first use in the pharmaceutical industry of real-time release testing in established batch-manufacturing processes in place of traditional laboratory release testing andhas been approved by the FDA FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration , the EMA EMA European Medicines Agency and Health Canada for use in different products. We plan to roll out this innovative process globally in 2022.
Expanding smart manufacturing
Through our collaboration with Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson’s Supply Chain Technology organization continues to accelerate the efficiency of our processes as part of digital manufacturing transformation. Using a range of digital and cloud-based capabilities, we are enabling business innovation and improving agility and disaster recovery while reducing overall operational costs. See our suite of smart manufacturing capabilities represented in the graphic below:
We are in an era of unprecedented product and process complexity, along with increased customer expectations and new demand. We are transforming our manufacturing capabilities to be increasingly connected, intelligent, lean and networked.

Personalized MedTech solutions
We leveraged state-of-the-art solutions throughout our Johnson & Johnson MedTech manufacturing and supply chain, following the implementation of innovative manufacturing capabilities at 14 Johnson & Johnson MedTech sites. Implemented in collaboration with Jabil Healthcare’s Medical Devices sector, this transformation included personalized medicine solutions, allowing for the manufacture of implants that are customized for the patient at several facilities. For example, at our Mezzovico site in Switzerland, operating surgeons can now provide scans for individual patients that enable the production of patient-specific craniofacial and mandible implants in less than two days.
Improving access to healthcare information
Johnson & Johnson became the first healthcare company to introduce an Enterprise e-labeling solution based on the GS1 Digital Link Standard to provide electronic information across the industry. Initially implemented to support the launch of a key oncology product in Singapore, scanning a barcode on our product enables users to view its electronic leaflet containing important healthcare information. Instant digital access to information enables HCPs HCPs Healthcare professional to make informed decisions when treating their patients and contributes to patient safety, enhanced supply chain security, efficiency and accurate data sharing.

2021 Supply Chain Top 25 list by Gartner, Inc., which evaluates supply chains across all industries based on business and financial data, ESG metrics, and community opinion of expert analysts and peer votes.
In addition, for the fourth year, Johnson & Johnson was named #1 on Gartner’s annual Supply Chain Top 25: Life Sciences list in recognition of our supply chain’s commitment to getting ahead of evolving customer needs while continuously improving our foundations. Learn more