Innovation has always been at the heart of scientific progress, but it rarely follows a straight or tidy path. While many picture spotless laboratories filled with advanced equipment, some of the world’s most transformative breakthroughs were born from improvisation and urgency.
One striking example is the mass production of penicillin during the Second World War, a moment in history that illustrates both the ingenuity and the risks of innovation, claims Corlytics.
In 1928, Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin revolutionised modern medicine. Yet, turning this scientific marvel into a life-saving treatment on a global scale proved a formidable challenge. The compound was notoriously unstable and difficult to produce in large quantities. Early supplies were so scarce that doctors went as far as collecting patients’ urine to extract and reuse traces of the antibiotic.
During the 1940s, with soldiers dying from preventable infections, the US government turned to pharmaceutical firms to solve the production problem. Pfizer, leveraging its experience in deep-tank fermentation, stepped forward. However, the company lacked the facilities and materials required for such an operation. In response, engineers repurposed unlikely items — including an elevator shaft and an old boiler — to create massive fermentation tanks. The process was far from clinical, but it worked. By D-Day, there was enough penicillin to treat the Allied forces, reducing the death rate from bacterial pneumonia from 18% in World War I to less than 1% in World War II.
This story stands as a testament to human creativity under pressure. But it also raises a vital question: could such improvisation ever happen today? The answer, realistically, is no. Modern regulation around medicines and medical devices is exacting, and rightly so. While the makeshift boiler experiment might have been revolutionary in the 1940s, today it would be halted before it began. These stringent standards exist because past shortcuts cost lives, and they ensure that the medicines we rely on are safe, effective, and consistent.
For Corlytics, this balance between innovation and regulation sits at the core of its mission. The company provides regulatory intelligence and insight to help health and life sciences firms navigate complex compliance landscapes. Modern innovators face not material shortages but regulatory challenges — from global data privacy laws to evolving frameworks around AI in drug discovery. Corlytics helps organisations interpret these requirements, align innovation with compliance, and progress confidently.
Regulation, rather than being a barrier to progress, is the foundation upon which sustainable innovation is built. As the life sciences industry moves into an era defined by AI, digital health, and personalised medicine, the stakes are once again high. Global health crises, ageing populations, and new diseases demand rapid innovation, but that innovation must be guided by robust oversight.
The spirit of the elevator and boiler still matters — resourceful, bold, and relentless — but it must coexist with the frameworks of modern compliance. Corlytics empowers organisations to walk that tightrope, transforming complexity into clarity and ensuring that today’s breakthroughs are developed safely, ethically, and effectively.
Penicillin not only saved lives but also set the precedent for how innovation and regulation can coexist — where improvisation fuels progress and compliance guarantees its integrity.
Copyright © 2025 RegTech Analyst
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