Felicity Thomas is the former Associate Editorial Director of Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology Europe, BioPharm International.

Felicity Thomas

The annual industry report of the Pharmapack Europe event—taking place in Paris, France, between Jan. 24 and 25, 2024—has been published and suggests that there will be significant innovation in the areas of inhaled pulmonary and intranasal drug delivery over the coming 12 months.

Innovation in inhalation devices is expected to be a major shift for the industry, according to the Pharmapack report, which was created from an industry survey of 200 participants and added analysis by Pharmacentric Solutions, Springboard, and Team Consulting. Moving beyond asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the report specifies that inhalation devices will be tailored to meet the requirements of newer alternative therapies for conditions such as lung cancer, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and Parkinson’s disease. Providing an example of how the delivery devices will evolve, the report highlighted intranasal delivery of both liquid and solid therapies targeting central nervous system and systemic delivery that would have only been previously administered via injection.

Additionally, the report showed that a greater proportion of the industry is leaning towards novel auto-injector development rather than on-body devices as a result of the costs associated with the latter and the ease of use of the former. Challenges with on-body devices that were specified in the report include skin cleaning, adhesive peeling, and prolonged wearing. A particular area of interest for drug delivery devices in the coming year that was identified in the report was that of auto-injector innovation for glucagon-like peptide 1 drugs.

All the results and analysis from Pharmapack Report 2024 are available on 

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The annual industry report of the Pharmapack Europe event suggests there will be significant innovation in inhaled pulmonary and intranasal drug delivery in 2024.

Pharmapack Report Points to Inhaled Pulmonary and Intranasal Drug Delivery as Areas to Watch

Communication between the manufacturing plant and retail stores. | Image Credit: © Cagkan - © Cagkan - stock.adobe.com

Taiwan’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer, Bora Pharmaceuticals, has announced the approval by its Board of Directors for the acquisition of generics manufacturer, Upsher-Smith, which is based in Minnesota, USA, for a total of $210 million.

According to a Jan. 16, 2024 press release, this acquisition—the inaugural one for Bora in the US—marks a pivotal expansion for the company into the US market. Additionally, the acquisition creates additional capacity for Bora’s global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business and also completes the company’s capabilities to serve its customers throughout the entire value chain.

Upsher-Smith has two manufacturing facilities in Minnesota, one located in Plymouth and the other in Maple Grove. In combination, the two facilities are able to commercialize a broad range of dosage forms, including oral solid, powders, and liquids, in addition to packaging. Furthermore, the acquisition provides opportunities for Bora’s commercial sales operations in the US, TWi, through enhanced product development and marketing capabilities.

“This is a significant milestone for Bora Group, marking the most critical expansion of Bora’s presence in the US market and significantly enhancing Bora’s position as a global competitor with regard to its CDMO business and commercial Rx business,” said Bobby Sheng, chairman and CEO of Bora Group, in the press release. “Upsher-Smith’s competitiveness is a perfect match to Bora’s long-term growth—its newly-expanded, USFDA-approved manufacturing facilities, with a total capacity of 3.5 billion doses, will be Bora’s first local facility in the US, establishing a crucial stronghold for our global CDMO business.”

Closure of the acquisition is subject to the usual regulatory approvals. Once the deal has been officially closed, Bora will acquire 100% of Upsher-Smith through its wholly owned US subsidiary.

The acquisition marks a pivotal expansion for the company into the US market. 

Bora Pharmaceuticals Fuels Global Expansion with Acquisition in US

Pharmapack Europe 2024 survey results have been released just prior to the event kicking off in France—the event will take place between Jan. 24 and 25 in the Paris Expo—revealing general consensus on growth for contract packaging. The results, which were announced in a Jan. 11, 2024 press release, show a slight improvement on those from 2023, with 94% of respondents feeling “highly positive” or “moderately positive” about growth prospects for the coming 12 months.

“2024 will see an increasing number of manufacturers launching specialty and biologic medicines, all requiring specialist packaging solutions to help them differentiate their offerings,” said Aurelio Arias, director, Thought Leadership at IQVIA, in the press release. “Moreover, this year it will be recognized that policy solutions are required to increase resilience, including an [European Union] Critical Medicines Act and the [World Health Organization’s] draft pandemic accord. The crucial point is that these changes to legislation seek to track supply and incentivise diversity of supply, which will necessitate greater packaging services to meet this increased demand. So, I concur that 2024 is likely to be a good growth year for the industry.”

The full survey results will be published in the Pharmapack Annual report along with the Sustainability Index, which has improved significantly in 2024 rising by 8.6%, indicating that the industry has shifted its focus back to sustainability as was the priority prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the report expects that those companies investing in greener innovations will experience higher revenue streams.

“All across drug delivery and packaging, we are seeing positive signs and an increased desire to do business, with green technology standing out as a notable trend,” Laura Indriksone, brand manager at Pharmapack Europe, in the press release. “This is shown by our sustainability index, with newer device and packaging innovations helping deliver increased revenue opportunities for early movers.”

Full survey results and the Sustainability Index will be published in the Pharmapack Annual Report during the 2024 event and on 

According to the Pharmapack Europe 2024 survey results, contract packaging will see growth over the coming 12 months.

Contract Packaging Set for High Growth in 2024

CellVoyant—an artificial intelligence (AI) first biotechnology company spun out of the University of Bristol—has raised £7.6 million in seed funding to speed up the development of novel cell therapies. According to a Jan. 16, 2024 press release, the funding was led by Octopus Ventures and included Horizon Ventures, Verve Ventures, and Air Street Capital as participants of the funding round.

The biotech’s primary aim is to use its platform, which combines advanced AI with live cell imaging, to develop novel stem cell therapies in a cost-effective way while also improving reliability and speed of development. While there are promising applications of stem cell therapies, the science behind these options is complex and unpredictable and development tends to have high attrition rates.

“Cell therapies have the potential to revolutionize the way we treat diseases that affect millions of people every year,” said Rafael E. Carazo Salas, CEO and founder of CellVoyant, in the press release. “By combining the latest advances in AI and live cell imaging, we can help bring these transformative treatments to the market quickly, reliably, and cost-effectively. [This funding] milestone validates the potential of our approach and will help us to accelerate our R&D capabilities.”

“University spin-outs like CellVoyant are at the heart of the UK’s thriving biotech ecosystem,” added Uzma Choudry, lead biotech investor at Octopus Ventures, in the press release. “CellVoyant sets a new standard in precision and reliability for predicting and controlling stem cell behavior, which will make cell therapies more accessible to those who need them. We are thrilled to invest into a company that is transforming how patients can benefit from life-changing treatments.”

With the seed funding raised, CellVoyant will scale up its operations, including doubling the team size over the next two years, expanding laboratory and experimental infrastructure, and advancing AI capabilities.

CellVoyant has raised £7.6 million in seed funding to speed up the development of novel cell therapies.

AI Biotech Secures Funding to Speed Up Stem Cell Therapy Development

Clarivate, a global information services provider, has announced, in a Jan. 8, 2024 press release, the publication of its annual 

 report, highlighting 13 potential blockbuster drugs and gamechangers that will launch in 2024.

 report provides predictive analysis of drugs set to launch with the potential to be highly commercially and/or clinically successful. In the latest edition, Clarivate analysts have identified 13 new-to-market therapeutics and drugs as potential blockbusters—drugs that are likely to achieve $1 billion in annual sales—or game-changers in terms of benefits for patients.

The drugs highlighted in the report cover a wide therapeutic base ranging from treatments for breast cancer, hemophilia A, sickle cell disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, respiratory syncytial virus, and multiple myeloma, among others. Additionally, the 2024 report sheds light on the growing chronic disease market in Mainland China, with the analysts picking out seven drugs that they predict as being likely to achieve blockbuster status by 2029 or as having a significant impact for Chinese patients in need of better treatment options.

“The fundamentals underpinning the biopharma sector have never been stronger, with new technologies fueling medical advancements and providing treatment options to patients with previously unmet needs,” said Mike Ward, global head of Thought Leadership, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Clarivate, in the press release. “Leveraging deep industry expertise and comprehensive therapeutic area differentiated data, this year’s 

 report identifies innovative medicines based on recent scientific breakthroughs poised to have extraordinary impacts on patient outcomes.”

The full report is available for download from Clarivate’s website, and more details will be provided in the Editor’s Comment for 

Clarivate's Drugs to Watch report highlights 13 potential blockbuster drugs and gamechangers set to launch in 2024.

Clarivate Highlights 13 Potential Drugs to Watch in Latest Report

Clinical-stage UK-based pharmaceutical company, PharmaKure, has been granted Clinical Trial Authorization (CTA) from the United Kingdom’s regulatory body, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, to start a Phase IIa study to assess an oral combined drug for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as a result of Alzheimer’s Disease.

According to a Jan. 4, 2024 press release, the CTA has been granted for PharmaKure’s PK051 oral combined drug that has been designed to target disaggregation of amyloid-β proteins—overproduction of which is being increasingly accepted as the initial event in Alzheimer’s Disease pathology. In the multi-ascending dose Phase IIa study, the company will evaluate the safety and tolerability of PK051 in patients.

"The MHRA authorization marks a major step forward in our mission to develop PK051 as a disease modifying therapy for MCI due to Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Dr. Farid Khan, CEO, PharmaKure, in the press release. “This authorization follows successful study results recently announced by the company for a novel whole blood test to quantify Alzheimer’s Disease biomarkers. PharmaKure’s proprietary ALZmetrix blood test can identify blood-based biomarkers in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease to provide early warning of cognitive decline. Used as a companion diagnostic, this could enable treatments such as PK051 to be offered earlier to provide better population-based health outcomes.”

“We are delighted to have approval to begin clinical testing of PK051,” added Dr. Bob Smith, chief clinical director, PharmaKure, in the press release. “This Phase IIa study is intended to confirm safety, tolerability, and to help us determine an appropriate dose for future efficacy studies. The trial will involve 40 patients with MCI due to Alzheimer’s Disease at a single site in the UK. The first patient is expected to be dosed in early to mid 2024, with preliminary clinical data emerging within 12 months of first dose.”

MHRA has granted a Clinical Trial Authorization to PharmaKure for its oral combined drug for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment.