CPhI Europe continues Today in Milan
The highlights of the trade show and its conference agenda - day 2
Being from the UK – which is well known for its grey, wet weather – I was looking forward to a more temperate climate in Milan. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. The first day of the show was full of raincoats and umbrellas. But while it is damp outside, that is not a problem in the busy halls. The show must go on!
Yesterday, I visited the Packaging Innovation Theatre to learn more about the recently announced Alliance for RTU via a panel discussion. Two of the aims of the alliance are to share the advantages of RTU with the industry and to explore options for standardization. The problem with standardization – as put by Martin VanTrieste, a member of the panel (and former CEO of Civica Rx) – is that many companies say they are supportive of standardization, but only if everyone else does it their way! It’s great to hear that there will be a real discussion between SCHOTT Pharma, Gerresheimer, and Stevanato Group to find the best way forward.
RTU has a number of advantages for pharma drug manufacturers since they don’t have to deal with the steps of washing, sterilization, and siliconization. However, it’s not always smooth sailing. During the panel discussion, Hanns-Christian Mahler, CEO of ten23 health, discussed the benefits but also added that there can be issues with particulates. Again, these will be issues that the alliance can look to address. For the pharma industry to fully embrace RTU, standardization and quality will be paramount. When discussing quality, VanTrieste quoted Henry Ford: “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking” – a great quote that can apply to many aspects of the pharma industry.
Today's Must-Sees
11:00 - 11:30 CET: Leveraging AI for Knowledge Management in Pharmaceutical Development: The iQNow Experience at Boehringer Ingelheim (Hall 5 - 5B49)
Michael Schorpp from Boehringer Ingelheim, discusses the challenges of accessibility when it comes to documents, data, and knowledge, and how AI is being developed to put all that at the tips of your fingers.
13:10 - 13:40 CET: Solutions to Sustainable Manufacturing – Circular Carbon for Fossil Free Raw Materials and Manufacturing (Hall 6 - 6A28)
Join Martin Held, Lecturer at the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, as he tries to get you to think of carbon as a resource rather than a problem. If plastic packaging can enter a circular economy, why not carbon too?
15:15 - 15:40 CET: Optimizing Prefillable Polymer Syringe Nest Design for Enhanced Fill-And-Finish (Hall 20 - 20C33)
Nina Krautwurst, Global Product Manager, Schott Pharma, explains how to maximize conveyor space utilization, streamline production processes, and support sustainability objectives by minimizing material and energy consumption, and how this can lead to improved efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental responsibility.
Tomorrow's Planner
Awards, wellbeing, and the workforce; the final day has a lot of sessions focused on the people behind the industry. The conference finishes on Thursday at 2.10pm but if you stick around, there is a Meet the Speakers event at 5pm in Hall 22 (22F50). The trade show will close at 4pm.
Thought of the Day
“To accelerate drug discovery to meet the medical needs of patients around the world, pharma and biotech organizations need to bring together data, technology, and expertise. When these elements converge, AI can serve as a valuable support tool for researchers to usher in a new era of drug discovery.”
Mirit Eldor, Managing Director, Life Sciences Solutions, Elsevier Read more here
Aprés-Sci
A must in Milan is a visit to Parco Sempione and the Castello Sforzesco, a medieval fortress housing works by da Vinci and Michelangelo surrounded by more than 100 acres of premium green spaces. Get off the Metro at Lanza station and you can’t miss it. Magnifico!
Following a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Master’s in Creative Writing, I entered the world of publishing as a proofreader, working my way up to editor. The career so far has taken me to some amazing places, and I’m excited to see where I can go with Texere and The Medicine Maker.
