Chanelle Pharma Deploys SAP Cloud ERP Private and SAP Business AI for Faster Drug Manufacturing and Compliance

Ireland-based Chanelle Pharma said it is partnering with SAP to modernize its global operations through SAP Cloud ERP Private (formerly RISE with SAP), and SAP Business AI, to accelerate product time‑to‑market, improve operational visibility, and strengthen data governance across the company’s global operations.

The pharmaceutical maker develops and manufactures veterinary and human medical products including, pain management, dermatology, parasiticide, and exports them to more than 90 countries. It has operations in Ireland, the U.K., Portugal and Jordan.

As the company expands internationally, the SAP transformation is intended to modernize its end‑to‑end operational value chain, including finance, manufacturing, and supply chain processes.

The program will be delivered as a single‑phase transformation with a targeted go‑live in late 2026. Implementation will be carried out in partnership with consulting firms Tenthpin and KaarTech.

Clean Core ERP Foundation for Pharmaceutical Operations

Under the program, Chanelle Pharma will first deploy SAP Cloud ERP Private to establish a “clean core” ERP environment based on SAP best practices. This approach is designed to standardize processes and create a stable digital backbone that supports quality compliance as well as future innovation.

Once the core ERP foundation is in place, the company plans to integrate SAP Business AI capabilities to help automate workflows, improve operational insights, and support faster decision‑making.

What this means: Cloud ERP can improve visibility across pharmaceutical operations. Moving manufacturing and supply chain systems to a unified cloud ERP platform can provide clearer visibility across production, quality controls and distribution. For pharmaceutical companies, this visibility supports batch traceability, regulatory reporting and coordinated global operations.

According to Aiden Dempsey, chief information officer at Chanelle Pharma, the transformation is intended to support the company’s long‑term growth strategy while maintaining strict regulatory standards.

“This strategic partnership with SAP marks a pivotal moment in our growth trajectory,” Dempsey said. “We are investing heavily in a scalable digital foundation that will accelerate our time‑to‑market and drive global manufacturing excellence.”

Balancing Process Transformation With Regulatory Complexity

Pharmaceutical manufacturers operate in a highly regulated environment where compliance, supply chain reliability, and product quality must be tightly controlled. By implementing a unified cloud ERP platform, Chanelle Pharma aims to improve governance and ensure compliance with GxP regulatory standards while modernizing its operational processes.

GxP regulatory compliance requires pharmaceutical companies to follow strict quality standards for manufacturing, clinical practices, laboratory studies and product distribution. Enforced by regulators such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), it requires validated processes, detailed documentation and strong data integrity controls.

What this means: Clean core ERP foundations support compliance and scalability. Pharmaceutical manufacturers operate under strict regulatory requirements and complex supply chains. A clean‑core ERP environment can help standardize processes while keeping the core system stable and easier to maintain and upgrade.

Ray Joyce, head of Ireland at SAP UK & Ireland, said cloud ERP systems can help pharmaceutical companies respond more quickly to regulatory and market changes by providing unified data and greater operational transparency.

The transformation will also leverage industry‑specific process frameworks from Tenthpin, including SAP Signavio process models optimized for contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs). These templates are designed to accelerate ERP deployment while aligning business processes with life sciences industry standards.

Simon Flowers, partner at Tenthpin, said the program’s single‑phase approach aims to deliver value more quickly while helping the company navigate regulatory and operational complexity.

What this means: ERP systems provide a foundation for operational AI. Embedding AI capabilities within ERP workflows can help automate routine tasks, improve demand forecasting and surface operational insights earlier. In regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, these capabilities must operate alongside strict governance and quality controls.