Feliza Mirasol

Industry collaboration remains critical to addressing the challenges of modern drug manufacturing, regulation, and global supply resilience as bio/pharmaceutical development increasingly becomes complex. Informa Markets' announced agenda and speaker lineup for 

 reflects this need as the company launches a new Leadership Summit designed to unite decision-makers from across the global bio/pharmaceutical value chain (1).

Taking place Oct. 28–30, 2025, at Messe Frankfurt, the event will feature more than 260 expert speakers from regulatory bodies, biotech startups, manufacturing organizations, and supply chain leaders. The program will focus on the future of drug development, artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, and sustainability—key themes shaping how bio/pharmaceutical technologies are developed, scaled, and delivered worldwide (1–4).

“The 2025 event reflects not only the scale of innovation across pharma but also the sector’s need for connected leadership and diverse perspectives,” said Tara Dougal, event director for Informa Markets, in a press release (1). “Our speaker line-up represents a balance of experience and forward thinking, tackling the core challenges and opportunities facing pharma today.”

What key industry issues will the leadership summit address?

The Leadership Summit, sponsored by Ensera (formerly SteriPack), is a major addition to this year’s event. The summit will serve as a strategic forum for executive dialogue on topics such as pharmaceutical resilience, mergers and acquisitions, access to medicines, and the impact of geopolitical shifts on global supply chains.

These discussions are expected to resonate across the bio/pharmaceutical industry, for which managing risk and maintaining manufacturing continuity are central concerns. By emphasizing long-term strategy and policy alignment, the summit aims to bridge the gap between regulatory goals, commercial strategy, and the operational realities of global drug production.

What hot topics will the specialized tracks explore?

The conference’s seven content tracks will explore specialized areas critical to the evolution of pharmaceutical manufacturing and development and will include:

Packaging and Device Innovation (Hall 8.0): Patient-centric packaging, connected devices, and regulatory strategies for combination products

Future of Pharma and Ingredients (Hall 8.0): Advances in API design, digital chemistry, and modernization of regulatory pathways

Next-Gen Bio (Hall 4.1): Challenges and solutions in scaling up biologics, cell and gene therapies, and messenger RNA platforms

Clinical Innovation (Hall 6.1): Use of AI, digital endpoints, and decentralized trial models to improve patient recruitment and data reliability

Manufacturing 5.0 (Hall 4.1): Smart factories, machine learning integration, and operational excellence in production

Sustainable Futures (Hall 4.0): Strategies for low-emission manufacturing, circular pharma, and responsible sourcing

Spotlight Stage (Hall 4.0): Focused updates on cleanroom technologies and sustainability in production.

According to Informa, each track was developed in collaboration with global partners, including IQVIA, Medicines for Europe, CEPI, Environmental Financial Consulting Group, and PSCI. The collaboration aims to ensure that the content reflects the latest data-driven insights and industry priorities (1).

The diversity of speakers includes subject matter experts from government, academia, and multinational biopharma enterprises and underscores CPHI Frankfurt’s role as a global forum for advancing bio/pharmaceutical technology. Through technical sessions and leadership discussions, the event aims to shape the dialogue around efficiency, sustainability, and digitalization across the full drug development lifecycle (1).

CPHI Frankfurt 2025 Unveils Dynamic Speaker Line-Up and Launches New Leadership Summit

. Press Release. Oct. 21, 2025.
2. Fu, C.; Chen, Q. The Future of Pharmaceuticals: Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery and Development. 


3. Mustoe, C. L.; Turner, A. J.; Urwin, S. J.; et al. Quality by Digital Design to Accelerate Sustainable Medicines Development. 

The Rise of AI in Biopharmaceuticals: Uncovering the Environmental Cost and the Promise of Sustainable AI

Articles

The upcoming CPHI Frankfurt 2025 event will address the complexities of modern drug manufacturing, regulation, and global supply resilience through a new Leadership Summit. This summit will unite decision-makers from the bio/pharmaceutical value chain to discuss key industry issues such as pharmaceutical resilience, mergers and acquisitions, and geopolitical impacts on supply chains. The event will feature over 260 expert speakers and seven specialized content tracks focusing on themes like AI, digital transformation, and sustainability. The goal is to align regulatory goals with commercial strategies and operational realities in global drug production.

Spotlighting global biopharma innovation, the event will unite leaders to discuss digitalization, sustainable manufacturing, and future-ready development.

CPHI Frankfurt 2025 to Showcase Advances in Biopharma Manufacturing, Digital Transformation, and Global Industry Collaboration

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine (Sherwin-Williams), a supplier of high-performance flooring, wall systems, and coatings for pharmaceutical, life sciences, and biotech facilities, will showcase its latest pharmaceutical cleanroom innovations at INTERPHEX 2025, occurring April 1–3 in New York City. In particular, the company will highlight its new high-performance coating systems at the conference, according to a March 20, 2025 company press release (1).

The company’s high-performance coating systems are designed to ensure safe, sterile, and efficient pharmaceutical manufacturing environments. The systems contain solutions that are tailored to meet the specialized needs of cleanrooms and critical production spaces. The company’s advanced coatings portfolio includes coatings for floors, walls, ceilings, and other surfaces, all of which are designed to minimize downtime while maximizing protection against contamination and wear (1).

By design and through engineering, these advanced coating systems are geared toward supporting the rigorous demands of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. Features of the advanced coating systems include:

durability, with high resistance to harsh chemicals, abrasion, and heavy wear for long-term reliability

sterility, by offering seamless, durable surfaces that minimize cracks, with the aim of reducing contamination risks in sterile environments

efficiency, such as fast-curing systems that reduce installation time and downtime to ensure continuous production and development

sustainability, including solutions that are free of Red List chemicals (2) and that are designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design compliance (3).

“This industry is a constant balance of compliance and innovation,” said Michael Durbin, market segment manager for Pharmaceutical at Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine, in the press release (1). “Our precision-engineered coating solutions empower manufacturers to maintain that balance while creating environments critical to life-saving advancements. INTERPHEX is a great opportunity for us to continue to connect with industry leaders and showcase how our coatings contribute to the next generation of pharmaceutical manufacturing.”

At the conference, Sherwin-Williams will also highlight innovative solutions aimed at enhancing efficiency, safety, and compliance in pharmaceutical environments, including:

A floor visualizer tool: the company will exhibit an interactive touchscreen floor visualizer with which attendees can engage; this tool will allow users to explore and customize flooring solutions in real time and helps pharmaceutical manufacturers select the ideal flooring system based on their facility’s unique requirements.

A grout and topcoat technology (Accelera One): this technology offers rapid cure times, chemical resistance, and cost-saving efficiency to help facility owners protect their investments as well as maintain safe and sterile manufacturing environments.

Thermal insulative coating solutions (Heat-Flex): These coating solutions are designed to be used with coolers, freezers, and high-temperature equipment to aid in the prevention of condensation buildup, reduction of thermal losses and enhancement of site safety; these solutions also offer protection to personnel by reducing the risk of burns and injuries, in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations concerning thermal insulation on metallic equipment.

Attendees can visit Sherwin-Williams at booth #2569 at INTERPHEX.

1. Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine. 

Raising the Bar: Sherwin-Williams Highlights Next-Gen Coatings for Pharma Cleanrooms at INTERPHEX 2025

. Press Release. March 20, 2025.
2. Green Building Alliance. Product and Building Materials Red List. 

 (accessed March 28, 2025).
3. US Green Building Council. LEED Rating System. 

Sherwin-Williams’ advanced coating systems are designed to ensure safety, sterility, and efficiency in pharma manufacturing environments. 

Sherwin-Williams to Showcase Next-Gen Coatings for Pharma Cleanrooms at INTERPHEX 2025

In this episode of Drug Digest, industry experts discuss their experiences in dealing with the challenges of developing and manufacturing next-generation biotherapeutics as well as triumphs that move the industry as a whole forward.

Challenges and Triumphs in Next-Generation Biotherapeutic Development

The development of next-generation biotherapeutics is in full swing, which means that developers and biomanufacturers are tackling new challenges in the drug development and manufacturing lifecycle. Two areas of focus are in the maintenance of an aseptic environment throughout the manufacturing process and the search for solutions to establishing alternative drug delivery methods that don’t require a parenteral route of administration. In this episode of 

, experts from N4 Pharma and Cellular Origins discuss their experiences in dealing with these challenges, as well as triumphs in creating innovations to move the industry as a whole forward.

Nigel Theobald is CEO of N4 Pharma, a specialist pharmaceutical company developing novel delivery systems for oncology, gene therapy and vaccines. Theobald has over 25 years’ experience in healthcare, in building businesses, strategy development and implementation, and in a strong network covering all aspects of pharmaceutical product development and commercialization. He was the head of healthcare brands at Boots Group plc in 2002 before leaving to set up a series of successful businesses, including Oxford Pharmascience Group plc, which he grew over five years into an AIM-quoted company with a market capitalization of £40 million (US$53 million) upon departure. Theobald formed N4 Pharma in 2014.



Dan Strange, PhD, Chief Technology Officer, Cellular Origins

Dan Strange has been working at the intersection of engineering and biology for almost 15 years, and he is an inventor on 20 patents. After completing a PhD in regenerative medicine at the University of Cambridge, he moved to TTP where he developed complex drug delivery devices. He was instrumental in the creation of multiple technology platforms successfully licensed to large pharma in deals worth over $100 million. For the past four years, Strange has focused on cell therapy manufacturing equipment. Strange is an active member of various automation working groups and was a reviewer on the Alliance for Regenerative Medicines A-Cell report on cell therapy manufacturing.

Drug Digest is a tech talk video series with the 

® editors, who interview industry experts to discuss the emerging opportunities, obstacles, and advances in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry for the research, development, formulation, analysis, upstream and downstream processing, manufacturing, supply chain, and packaging of drug products.

Innovations in Biopharmaceutical Development

Videos

Drug Digest: Challenges and Triumphs in Next-Generation Biotherapeutic Development

Novo Nordisk announced on Dec. 16, 2024 that it will invest DKK 8.5 billion (US$1.2 billion) to build a new production facility in Odense, Denmark, for the manufacture of multiple product types for treating rare diseases, such as hemophilia, both at present and in the future. This is the first investment Novo Nordisk has made for breaking new ground in Denmark in this century, the company stated in a press release.

The new site will include a state-of-the-art finished production facility and warehouse spanning more than 40,000 m

. The production facility will be designed to be modular and flexible to enable the manufacture of multiple rare disease-treating products.

"The facility will utilize advanced technology and innovative equipment to ensure the highest quality to patients and meet the growing global demand for our life-changing medicines,” said Henrik Wulff, executive vice-president, Product Supply, Quality & IT of Novo Nordisk, in the press release (1). “We are proud to build on our heritage in Denmark and look forward to embarking on this journey in Odense, a well-connected city with a dynamic community and talented workforce."

The new facility will be built with an eye toward preserving the nature in the area. More than 4000 new trees will be planted at the site, and buildings will be equipped with solar panels for enhancing on-site electricity generation. In addition, the landscape will be designed by reusing excess soil, wooden materials, and other sustainable resources to create lakes, forests, and community spaces that will be open to the public, the company stated in its release.

Construction work has begun, and completion is expected in 2027. More than 400 permanent jobs are expected to be created upon completion of the facilities, and up to 1000 external employees will be working on-site during construction.

Meanwhile, as of Dec. 14, 2024, all regulatory closing conditions related to the review of Novo Holdings’ pending acquisition of Catalent have been fulfilled, including expiry of the timing agreement in the United States, which means the parties are now free to close the transaction (2). With the close of the transaction, Novo Nordisk will fulfill its subsequent 

acquisition of three Catalent manufacturing sites

 from Novo Holdings, which Novo Nordisk originally announced in February 2024 (3). Novo Nordisk will also be acquiring Novavax’s manufacturing site in the Czech Republic, which was announced earlier in December 2024 (4).

1. Novo Nordisk. Nordisk Invests DKK 8.5 Billion in New Production Facility in Odense, Denmark. Press Release. Dec. 16, 2024.
2. Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk A/S: The Acquisition of Catalent by Novo Holdings, and the Related Acquisition by Novo Nordisk of Three Manufacturing Sites from Novo Holdings, is Cleared To Close. Press Release. Dec. 14, 2024.
3. Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk to Acquire Three Fill-Finish Sites from Novo Holdings A/S in Connection with the Catalent, Inc. Transaction. Press Release. Feb. 5, 2024.
4. Novavax. Novavax Announces Sale of Czech Republic Manufacturing Site to Novo Nordisk for $200 Million. Press Release. Dec. 4, 2024.

Novo Nordisk will use the DKK 8.5 billion (US$1.2 billion) to build a new modular and flexible production facility in Odense, Denmark, that will produce multiple products for rare diseases. 

Novo Nordisk to Establish New Production Facility for Rare Disease Therapies in Denmark with DKK 8.5 Billion Investment

In this episode of Drug Digest, industry experts discuss the ongoing development of automating biomanufacturing processes, including its challenges and practical applications. 

From Theory to Reality: Automating Process Development

The biopharmaceutical industry has seen the use of automated technologies in biomanufacturing processes grow over the years from theory to reality. In this episode of 

, industry experts discuss the ongoing advancement of automation in the biopharmaceutical industry. They give insight into how automated technologies are put to use today and how they are streamlining process development, with an eye toward saving cost, time, and manufacturing footprint.

John Hatzis, Global Life Sciences Industry Consultant, Rockwell Automation

John Hatzis has been with Rockwell Automation for ten years where he has leveraged his expertise using Rockwell technology in a variety of applications in the Life Sciences industry. He works with BiofabUSA consulting on control systems for new tissue therapies. John has a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.


Smriti Khera, Global Head of Life Sciences Strategy and Marketing, Rockwell Automation

Smriti Khera is the global head of Life Sciences Strategy and Marketing at Rockwell Automation. She holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Arizona, where her focus was drug discovery from natural products. After working as a pharma research scientist, she pivoted to strategic marketing to increase her impact. Over the past 12 years she has held strategy and marketing leadership roles with increasing levels of responsibilities at both Fortune 500 and early stage startups. She is passionate about leveraging her unique expertise to generate sustained impact across healthcare and life sciences using automation and digital technologies.

This episode of Drug Digest is sponsored by:

Solid Dosage Drug Development and Manufacturing

Drug Digest: From Theory to Reality: Automating Process Development

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, has entered into a license agreement worth nearly up to $2 billion potentially, with Sangamo Therapeutics, a genomic medicine company. Through the deal, Genentech aims to develop genomic medicines for treating certain neurodegenerative diseases via intravenous administration. Sangamo is giving Genentech an exclusive license to its proprietary zinc finger repressors directed to the tau gene and its neurotropic adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid, STAC-BBB, for tau and a second neurology target.

Under the agreement, Sangamo will be responsible for completing a technology transfer to Genentech and will be responsible for certain preclinical activities. For its part, Genentech will be responsible for all clinical development, regulatory interactions, manufacturing, and global commercialization. Genentech expects to pay Sangamo $50 million in near-term upfront license fees and milestone payments. In addition, Sangamo is eligible to receive up to $1.9 billion in development and commercial milestones. These milestone payments would be spread across multiple potential products developed under the agreement. Sangamo is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales of any products resulting from the collaboration, subject to certain specified reductions.

“Sangamo has been pioneering the field of genomic medicine for years to address devastating neurodegenerative diseases with limited current treatment options,” said Sandy Macrae, CEO, Sangamo, in the press release. “We strongly believe in the power of our zinc finger technology to regulate the expression of key genes involved in disease. The recent discovery of our industry-leading intravenously delivered AAV capsid, STAC-BBB, has the potential to address longstanding challenges in delivering therapeutics to the central nervous system. We are excited to share this powerful combination with Genentech to advance potential treatment options for devastating neurodegenerative disorders, and we are hopeful this could be the first of multiple capsid collaborations to come with other partners.”

The tau gene is critically involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies (1). Genentech’s access to Sangamo’s zinc finger repressors will allow Genentech to develop genomic therapeutics against AD as well as an undisclosed second neurology target. Sangamo’s STAC-BBB has demonstrated potent blood-brain barrier penetration and brain transduction in nonhuman primates, the company said in the release.

“We are uniquely positioned with our collective experience, expertise, and resources in neurological research to explore transformative approaches, including gene therapy, that treat neurodegenerative diseases,” said Boris L. Zaïtra, head of Roche Corporate Business Development, in the release. “Through groundbreaking research and partnerships with companies such as Sangamo, we are committed to pursuing important breakthroughs in both early diagnosis and treatment. Our relentless pursuit of scientific innovation is taking us into areas of enormous unmet medical need and progress in treating diseases of the brain and nervous system.”

1. Medeiros, R.; Baglietto-Vargas, D.; LaFerla, F. M. The Role of Tau in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders. 

 (5), 514–524. DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00177.x

Genentech will have access to Sangamo’s capsid delivery platform and epigenetic regulation capabilities to develop genomic medicines for certain neurodegenerative diseases.