AstraZeneca: What It Takes to Be a Pathfinder in Productivity

AstraZeneca has been named an LNS Research 2024 Productivity Pathfinder for fundamentally changing how its organization works—shifting from siloed operations to a globally connected, data-informed, and digitally enabled company.

AstraZeneca’s transformation is rooted in the belief that productivity comes not from cost-cutting, but from rethinking how value is created across research, development, and manufacturing. 

AstraZeneca Productivity at a Glance: 

Industry: Life Sciences (Pharmaceuticals)
Designation: Named one of the top three most productive companies in the Life Sciences industry
Performance: Achieved 37% more productivity growth than non-Pathfinder companies since 2017 (per LNS Industrial Productivity Index)
Industry Performance: Life Sciences and High-Tech have avoided the steep productivity declines experienced in sectors like Energy, Aerospace & Defense, and Automotive

AstraZeneca doesn’t just optimize existing processes—it redesigns them with flexibility and purpose.

In remarks at LNS Research’s Industrial Transformation Event 2024, Andrew Wirths, SVP of Global Supply Chain and Strategy, highlighted AstraZeneca’s focus on building an agile, end-to-end supply network. By improving visibility, aligning goals across functions, and enabling frontline teams to act on data in real-time, the company is creating the conditions for sustainable, scalable productivity. 

The company also measures things differently. Productivity is not a short-term initiative, but a long-term performance metric tied directly to business outcomes. Strategic investments in AI and data analytics—such as its partnership with Immunai to enhance cancer drug trials—are helping AstraZeneca integrate decisions across science, operations, and commercialization.

AstraZeneca’s commitment to making things differently is clear in its use of the proprietary 5R Framework (Right Target, Right Tissue, Right Safety, Right Patient, Right Commercial). This model improves pipeline decision-making and has increased clinical success rates, shortened timelines, and improved return on innovation.

As a Pathfinder, AstraZeneca also leads differently. Its global operating model blends centralized structure with local autonomy. Teams at Global Business Services hubs in India—spanning data analytics, design, and digital services—support scalable improvements in learning, engagement, and operations. By investing in culture, capabilities, and digital infrastructure, AstraZeneca is setting a new productivity standard for the Life Sciences industry.

Congratulations to AstraZeneca on its 2024 Productivity Pathfinder achievement!