CPHI Barcelona 2023: forging collaborations for a promising future in the pharmaceutical sector

CPHI Barcelona presents a unique opportunity to learn, procure, and connect with events that inspire innovation and drive change. By seamlessly blending the benefits of both digital and in-person formats, attendees develop relationships all year round. It provides unparalleled opportunities to source valuable partnerships, secure contracts, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. Whether you’re seeking to forge relationships with thought leaders, trailblazers, or innovators, this event has it all.

CPHI Barcelona is designed to inspire innovation and drive change in the pharma industry

Silvia Forroova, director of partnerships & sustainability, Informa Markets

Silvia Forroova, director of partnerships & sustainability, Informa Markets, commented ’we are very excited to be back in Barcelona, one of Europe’s premier biotech and pharma manufacturing hubs. This year, the event will return to its former size and is designed to inspire innovation and drive change in the pharma industry. In the post-pandemic era, it’s exciting to see so many new products in clinical development and companies looking to widen and diversify their networks.’

Smart and personalised

CPHI Barcelona offers different pass options  to cater for your specific needs.

Standard pass:  for those focused on meeting people, discovering fresh innovations, and connecting with over 1,800 suppliers.

Explorer pass:  for those looking for more networking time with early access to the event and access to the meeting services.

VIP pass: comes with exclusive privileges, grants access to VIP reserved spaces, breakfast, lunch, refreshments and more.

Our event planner web tool and app allows you to plan your activity at the event in advance, making your time at CPHI Barcelona more effective. Attendees can plan meetings, bookmark interesting exhibitions and products, and receive personalised recommendations from AI regarding products, exhibitions and relevant content sessions. The app also contains all event essentials in one place, including your event badge and personal schedule. This maximises your efficiency and enjoyment while reducing event stress.

Not only is the event planner useful for pre-event planning, it can also be used during and after the event. During the event, you can navigate using the interactive floor plan to find the exhibits that you bookmarked ahead of time, while receiving notifications about your schedule to track meetings and sessions. Once the event is finished, you can export the contact information of the connections you made for easy follow-up calls.

So, dive into the immersive event platform before the in-person event, engage with the vibrant CPHI Barcelona community, and plan your experience early. Then, at Fira Barcelona, navigate the event effortlessly through intuitive zones, attend pre-scheduled 1:1 meetings, connect with exhibitors on-the-fly, and explore seminars while sourcing new suppliers.

New and cutting edge

This year, CPHI Barcelona introduces the Start-Up Market, a dedicated space in Hall 3 of Fira Barcelona, where start-ups, innovators, and small enterprises from the industry can exhibit their exciting new products and solutions. The Start-Up Market is the space to visit to discover new innovations and connect with companies at the cutting edge of the pharma industry. Eligible companies classified as start-ups and active in the pharma, biopharma, digital, or medical device sectors can exhibit. The market space offers various benefits, including promotion as a show feature, access to start-up mentors, and a dedicated start-up networking lounge.

Sustainable and socially responsible

CPHI Barcelona is committed to organising an environmentally and socially responsible event. Efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact, including sustainable transportation and shuttle services, the use of 100% renewable energy, and implementing initiatives to minimise single-use exhibitor stands. The event aims to support local businesses, empower communities, inspire sustainable development by celebrating initiatives through the sustainability award, and amplifying diverse voices through forums and events.

Sustainability is embedded throughout CPHI

Silvia Forroova

Silvia Forroova explained ’there has never been a better time to attend CPHI. At the heart of pharma, we provide the vital connections that will underpin growth in pharma manufacturing in the next few years. Alongside this, we are committed to accelerating our progress in sustainability. Sustainability is embedded throughout CPHI, from our Better Stands programme to reduce waste, through to our conference content, where we are bringing industry leaders together to inspire and create conversation through a number of sessions dedicated to various aspects of sustainability.’

Comprehensive and engaging

CPHI Barcelona 2023 will feature an extensive conference agenda covering a wide range of topics, including next-gen biomanufacturing, partnering for success, formulating the future, future therapies, manufacturing 4.0, patient-centric development, creating a circular economy, quality management fundamentals, and hiring for diversity. These sessions will provide valuable insights and help shape the future of the industry.

The power of CPHI Barcelona extends beyond the event dates. With the event platform and CPHI Online, you can access on-demand conference content, stay connected with the CPHI community throughout the year, and fuel the growth of your business.

Content overview

Here are some highlights from our full conference programme.

Day 1: Tuesday 24 October 2023

The first day focuses on the themes next-gen biomanufacturing, formulating the future, partnering for success, and creating a circular economy. Sheila Ann Mikhail, co-founder and former CEO of Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Inc, sets the scene for the biomanufacturing landscape with a keynote address. Later in the day, after the panel sessions, Vinay Saluja, Novartis, will give a keynote and provide a detailed appraisal on CMDO landscape. A second speaker will provide insights on sustainability in pharma.

Day 1: Panel sessions

Strategies for commercialising cell and gene therapies	Looking to the future: what’s next for the generic drugs market?
Anders Wallstron, Xbrane Biopharma AB; Unmesh Lal, Frost & Sullivan; and Magnus Blomberg, AstraZeneca Covering topics such as manufacturing challenges for autologous cell therapies and cell therapy roadmaps to address challenges and drive speed-to-market	Camille Dumont, Lonza Capsules and Health Ingredients, Juan Colberg, Pfizer, and Sven Stegemann, Leibniz JointLab Tackling the issue of shortages utilising fresh formulation approaches and driving quality improvements through process control optimisation.

Day 2: Wednesday 25 October 2023

The themes introduced on the second day are future therapies, manufacturing 4.0, patient centric development, and quality management fundamentals. Aser Alonso, vice president engineering & transformation, GE Healthcare, starts us off with a keynote address for drug manufacturing. There will be a groundbreaking panel in the afternoon delving into the growing role of AI as a technology to transform manufacturing efficiency, which is another topic generating much industry excitement.

Samantha Parker, chief patient access officer, Innoskel, will pick up the second half of the day with a keynote address on patient centric landscape, while Elisabeth Stampa, president, Medicines for Europe, gives a keynote address on quality management fundamentals.

Day 2: Panel sessions

Loading potential: artificial intelligence for pharma manufacturing	Industry 4.0: setting the new standard for manufacturing quality
Andrew Kewson, Basilea Pharmaceutica; Guglielmo Iozzia, Merck; Sean Daughtry, Vertex Pharmaceuticals; and Aurelio Arias, IQVIA The implications of AI for improving batch manufacturing processes, defining the role of chatbots, and even potential improvements in patient engagement	Lawrence De Belder, Pharmatech Associates Inc.; Isamir Martinez, ACS Green Chemistry Institute; Danita Broyles, Harmony Biosciences; and Sanjay Sharma, Dr. Reddy’s Making data actionable to improve decision-making and real-world automation, identifying the right enterprise resource planning system for supply chains and manufacturing processes, and establishing measurable KPIs.

Day 3: Thursday 26 October 2023

There will be a morning programme of sessions including a sustainability workshop on the final day.

Awarding excellence

The CPHI Pharma Awards will mark its 20th anniversary with a grand ceremony on Tuesday 24 October 2023. This special edition will introduce three new categories, acknowledging the remarkable wave of innovation that has engulfed the industry. These categories will honour advancements in methodologies, sustainability efforts, and philanthropic initiatives.

Categories

1. Accelerating Innovation
2. API Development & Innovation
3. Finished Formulation
4. Manufacturing Excellence
5. Drug Delivery & Device Innovation
6. Packaging & Machinery
7. Supply Chain Excellence
8. Sustainability
9. Regulatory and Compliance
10. CEO of the Year
11. Start-Up Initiative
12. At the Heart of Pharma