The renowned global pharma event sub-titled ‘Forging collaborations for a promising future in the pharmaceutical sector’ is set to take centre stage at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Spain, from 24-26 October, this year.

Building on its legacy of excellence, this year’s event promises to unite suppliers, innovators and pharma professionals in an exceptional setting, combining the best of in-person and online experiences. CPHI creates connections and inspires partnerships across the global pharma community.

CPHI Barcelona serves as a vital platform for unrivalled networks and access to the global supply chain. 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 future gazers, this event has it all.

A unique blend

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.

So, you could 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, you could 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.

Year-round engagement

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

Pass options and benefits

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

• The Standard pass focuses on meeting people, discovering fresh innovations and connecting with over 1,800 suppliers.
• The Explorer pass provides more networking time with early access to the event and access to the meeting services.
• For exclusive privileges, the VIP pass grants access to reserved spaces, refreshments and more.

Exciting new feature

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. Eligible companies classified as ‘Start-Ups’ and active in the pharma, biopharma, digital or medical device sectors can participate. The market space offers various benefits, including promotion as a show feature, access to start-up mentors and a dedicated ‘Start-Up’ networking lounge.

Commitment to sustainability

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 and inspire sustainable development by celebrating initiatives through The ‘Sustainability Award’ and amplifying diverse voices through forums and events.

Silvia Forroova, Director – 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. What’s exciting in the post-pandemic era, with many new products in clinical development, companies are looking to widen and diversify their networks. 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. One new element we have pushed very hard this year is to accelerate our progress in sustainability, both within pharma and at our events”.

Conference agenda highlights

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.

Day 1: Tuesday, 24 October

Day One at CPHI Barcelona 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.

The morning begins with insights on Process Characterisation Essentials for Biologics Manufacturing, which discusses facilitating speed to market in biologics and assesses potential risks and solutions in development. Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients examines emerging drug delivery technologies for novel formulations.

Another hot topic for the industry is pipeline acceleration strategies for biologics manufacturing. AstraZeneca’s Magnus Blomberg will cover time-saving strategies to improve early-stage development processes and how to utilise current upstream and downstream toolkits to drive efficiencies. Meanwhile, Juan Colberg, the senior director of technology and innovation for Pfizer, will analyse Green Chemistry Initiatives in APIs.

The day also features two panels, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Commercialisation – Strategy and Challenges and Looking to the Future – What’s Next for the Generic Drugs Market. The first panel will consist of three speakers: Anders Wallstron, Head of Manufacturing and Supply Chain, Xbrane Biopharma AB; Unmesh Lal, Director of Frost & Sullivan; and Magnus Blomberg, Global Supply Network Strategy Director, AstraZeneca. It will cover topics such as manufacturing challenges for autologous cell therapies and cell therapy roadmaps to address challenges and drive speed-to-market.

The second panel will be presented by Juan Colberg of Pfizer and will tackle the issue of shortages utilising fresh formulation approaches and driving quality improvements through process control optimisation.

Following the panels, there will be two keynote speakers, one for each track, Partnering for Success and Creating a Circular Economy. Montse Montaner, Chief Sustainability Officer, Novartis, will provide a detailed appraisal on sustainability landscape. A second speaker will provide insights on the wider CMDO landscape. Continuing these themes, Indena SpA will discuss Forging Long-Lasting CDMO Partnerships and SUDPACK Medica will explore Green Investments and Reducing Emissions in Pharma Manufacturing.

To help with real world implementation of partnering, Federica Fraschetti, Associate Director and Focus Factory Leader at Merck, will give a case study on Lessons on Long-Term CDMO Partnerships.  Shilpi Ghosh, Roche, will deliver a session on CDMO Organisation within Pharma, a Different Perspective than Conventional, while Berta Mota, Head of Circular Economy, Anthesis Group, will provide perspectives on Driving Profitability through a Solid ESG Strategy.

A final panel will bring our first day to an end with How Pharma can Build a Meaningful Circular Economy. This will cover building a circular economy through collaboration, setting targets and defining your sustainability strategy and improving other sectors by sharing current practices in packaging, process chemicals and manufacturing.

Day 2: Wednesday, 25 October

The themes introduced on Day Two are Future Therapies, Manufacturing 4.0, Patient-Centric Development and Quality Management Fundamentals. Aser Alonso, Vice-President Engineering & Transformation, GE Healthcare, will begin with a keynote address on drug manufacturing.

The morning will also cover Breaking Down Barriers In Personalised Medicine, with an examination of why a lack of regulatory harmonisation can hinder adoption of personalised medicine approaches. In a change of direction, Procaps discusses Unleashing the Power of Digital Twin Technology in Packaging and Manufacturing.

Sean Daughtry, Director of Technical Operations, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, covers Achieving Industry 4.0 With PAT Manufacturing. He will describe how these innovations are ushering in a new era of manufacturing and explain how AI can increase continuous processing through deep learning.

In a change of format, the day continues with a ‘Fireside Chat’ on Adopting a New Approach to Orphan Drug Development. Steps for a Smarter Supply Chain will also be explored by Andrew Kewson, Head of Global Supply Chain Management, Basilea Pharmaceutica.

Exploring another topic generating much industry excitement, in the afternoon a ground-breaking session will delve into the growing role of AI as a technology to transform manufacturing efficiencies. Entitled ‘Generating the Potential of Artificial Intelligence for Pharma Manufacturing’, the speaker will cover the implications of AI for improving batch manufacturing processes, defining the role of chatbots and even potential improvements in patient engagement.

Samantha Parker, Chief Patient Access Officer, Innoskel, will pick up the second half of the day with a keynote address on patient-centric landscape.

The evening will conclude with a panel on Industry 4.0 – Setting a New Standard for Manufacturing Quality, with speakers Lawrence De Belder, Continuous Manufacturing Practice Lead, Pharmatech Associates Inc, and Albert Codony Ferrer, Site Quality Head, Beiersdorf. The panel will cover ERP systems, KPIs and how to make data actionable to improve decision-making and real-world automation.

Awarding excellence

The 20^th anniversary edition of the CPHI Pharma Awards will be presented on 24 October at an awards function. There are three new categories created this year to reflect the surge of innovation sweeping the industry – from new methodologies to sustainability and philanthropic initiatives. The full list of categories is:

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

To register for CPHI Barcelona 2023, please visit: www.cphi.com/europe