The finalists for the CPHI Pharma Awards have been announced, recognising companies, technologies and individuals making an impact across the global pharmaceutical industry.
This year’s shortlist spans drug development, digital transformation, manufacturing, sustainable technologies, supply chain management, partnerships and individual leadership. The finalists include multinational pharmaceutical companies, specialist suppliers, start-ups, research organisations and industry executives.
Among the nominees in API Development are MODAG, recognised for its combined neurodegeneration platform involving PD DETECT® and Emrusolmin; Lonza, shortlisted for its GlycoConnect® dual-payload antibody-drug conjugate technology; Cambrex, for its automated liquid-phase peptide synthesis platform; and FUJIFILM, for ShunzymeX™.
The Digital Transformation category features projects focused on artificial intelligence, connected supply chains and digital quality systems. Finalists include 4G Clinical, Evonik Industries, ForgeStop, Adalvo, Peerox and Catalent, whose Qai™ Deviation Manager is designed to support enterprise-scale digital quality transformation.
Innovation in drug delivery, devices and packaging is represented by projects including NVV Pharma’s ClearliQ Earwax medical device, Eco-Inject’s sustainable autoinjector, LTS–Lohmann Therapie-System’s microneedle patch platform and Palladio Group’s Smart Pill Pocket. ForgeStop and EM Microelectronic have also been shortlisted for a connected packaging solution supporting pharmaceutical authentication and track-and-trace.
The Excellence with Purpose finalists highlight initiatives aimed at improving access, education and patient support. They include Kepler Healthcare’s “Welcome Girl – A Lifelong Noble Initiative,” Accord Healthcare’s work on expanding access to serplulimab immunotherapy, Strides’ Learn While You Earn programme, Uzbekistan’s medicines affordability initiative and Urtica’s named-patient import service.
In Finished Formulation, the shortlisted projects include Cor.Con. International’s Epilamba Junior, Santa Farma’s modified-release mirabegron platform, SeraNovo’s NanoGlass™ formulation technology and Ashland’s permexa™ sodium caprate.
The Innovation Catalyst category features projects ranging from medical-device industrialisation and biomanufacturing to artificial intelligence and cell-free DNA. Finalists include IMA SpA, FUJIFILM, Prolific Machines, StablePharma, Aizon, Touchlight and VeriSIM Life.
Manufacturing-focused finalists include Anemocyte’s AMCAP enzymatic mRNA manufacturing technology, IMA SpA’s DOMINA tableting platform, Lyo Innovation’s LyoinMSTrack® mass spectrometry system, Bespak Bio’s gene therapy manufacturing technology and Touchlight’s GMP-licensed cell-free DNA facility.
The awards also recognise advances in pharmaceutical logistics. The Supply Chain Excellence finalists include Cryoport Systems, Adalvo, LSPedia, Occam Systems and Almac Group, whose Adapt™ platform supports supply chain management for ultra-rare gene therapies.
Sustainability is represented in two categories. The Sustainable Pharma Excellence shortlist includes Nordic Bioproducts Group, Bloomage Biotechnology, SCHOTT Pharma, Celtic Renewables, SK pharmteco, Sunresin New Materials and Touchlight. Their projects address areas including circular packaging, sustainable raw materials, solvent recovery, peptide manufacturing and reduced production footprints.
The Sustainable Transformation Partnership category recognises collaborative approaches to decarbonisation and circularity. Finalists include Sartorius, AstraZeneca, the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative and Schneider Electric.
Partnerships are also at the centre of the True Partnership Excellence category. The finalists are CMAC, MedPharm and Palvella, Enzene, Adalvo, Santa Farma and Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services. Their projects cover manufacturing research, topical therapies, biologics development, generic medicines and antibiotic development.
The Start-up Initiative finalists include SolasCure, NVV Pharma, Eco-Inject, ODISEI, Primogene and RAWGA. The shortlisted technologies range from wound care and earwax treatment to organoid-based drug discovery, cell-free biomanufacturing and plant-based collagen alternatives.
Individual awards will recognise emerging and established leaders in the pharmaceutical sector. The Future Leader finalists are Dr Steven Nicholson of Crystec, Jakub Knurek of Mabion, Milena Gonakova of Pfizer CentreOne, Dr Seán McMahon of Ashland and Dr Pauline van der Wijst-Janssen of DFE Pharma.
The nominees for Woman of the Year include Emma Charles of Bristol Myers Squibb, Jennifer Gattari and Lorna Murtagh of Pfizer CentreOne, Maja Pedersen of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, Martina Feitzinger of Adalvo and Zhao Yan of Bloomage Biotechnology.
The CEO of the Year shortlist includes Anil Okay of Adalvo, Joerg Ahlgrimm of SK pharmteco, Julia Tsetis of Tsetis Group, Prashant Nagre of Fermenta Biotech, Shreehas Tambe of Biocon, Swapn Malpani of Cipla, Thu Mark of Xellia Pharmaceuticals and Zhao Yan of Bloomage Biotechnology.
The winners will be announced at the CPHI Pharma Awards ceremony on 6 October at CPHI Milan.
The awards are intended to showcase the organisations and individuals helping to shape the future of pharmaceutical development, manufacturing and healthcare access.
