Winners of CPHI Excellence in Pharma Awards Announced

CPHI announced the winners of the 2024 Pharma Awards on Oct. 8, 2024 at CPHI Milan in Milan, Italy (1). And the winners are:

• Future Leader Award: Megan Smyth, Almac Sciences
• Woman of the Year Award: Julia Tsetis, OFET Pharmaceutical Group
• CEO of the Year: Guy Clark, CNX Therapeutics
• API Development and Innovation: Lonza, AI-Enabled Route Scouting Service
• Drug Delivery and Device Innovation: Adare Pharma Solutions
• Finished Formulation: Unistraw, UniLayer Straw Delivery System
• Manufacturing Excellence: RheaVita, RheaLyo GMP-Flex continuous freeze-dryer
• Packaging and Machinery: Smurfit WestRock, CereScreen Digital Display Label

• Regulatory and Compliance: ProPharma Group, Prodigy
• Start-Up Initiative: Acu-Flo Ltd, Nebu-Flow nebulizer platform
• Supply Chain Excellence: QYOBO GmbH
• Sustainability Award: Evonik Industries AG, PhytoSquene
• Heart of Pharma Award: West Pharmaceutical Services
• Accelerating Innovation Award: AustinPx, KinetiSol Technology.

The winners were chosen from a previous list of finalists announced on Sept. 6, 2024 (2).

The new Future Leader category was awarded to Megan Smyth of Almac Sciences for rising through five levels in her seven years at the company and for being awarded a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship. “Megan has built an innovative flow chemistry platform at Almac and there is a clear strategic alignment between her career intentions and the future requirement for leadership within the company,” CPHI stated in the press release.

The other new category, Woman of the Year, went to Julia Tsetis, CEO of OFET Pharmaceutical Group, for her commitment to innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility. “In her role as CEO of the OFET Pharmaceutical Group she is regarded as a true visionary and trailblazer in the pharmaceutical industry and has left an indelible mark on the global healthcare landscape,” the press release stated.

Guy Clark, CEO of CNX Therapeutics, was awarded CEO of the Year for significantly growing the company and transitioning it to a standalone entity with £50 million in revenues with more than 20 products sold worldwide.

The API Development and Innovation category went to Lonza for its AI-Enabled Route Scouting Service, which uses artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled predictive tools “that combine theoretical retrosynthesis with supply chain intelligence to identify commercially viable routes. This crystallizes the company’s advanced, data-driven approach to retrosynthetic analysis for designing optimal synthesis routes for small molecule APIs.”

Adare Pharma Solutions won the Drug Delivery and Device Innovation category for its tremors and other uncontrolled body treatments. “Based on an innovative sprinkle formulation, it is a game-changer for patients who struggle to take capsules due to hand tremors or difficulty in swallowing as it can be easily mixed into soft foods or liquids,” CPHI stated.

The Finished Formulation award was given to Unistraw’s UniLayer Straw Delivery System 2mg Loperamide HCl straw, which delivers medication via a plant-sourced and fully compostable polymer straw. This sustainable solution enhances compliance and reduces misuse.

The RheaLyo GMP-Flex continuous freeze-dryer +1 2 from RheaVita was given the award in the Manufacturing Excellence category. It is the first continuous freeze-drying system for aseptic good manufacturing practice production.

CereScreen Digital Display Label from Smurfit WestRock received the Packaging and Machinery award for its seamless integration of digital screens into clinical trial investigational medicinal product packaging. “The screen allows for multiple pages and contains all required label content, including QR codes and other information. In addition, the labels can be customized to suit the specific needs of the trial, including support for multiple languages,” CPHI stated.

The Regulatory and Compliance category was given to Prodigy from ProPharma Group. The suite of AI and advanced automation applications solve productivity challenges that can cause delays and incur costs. “It effectively removes delays, de-risks program delivery, shortens time-to-insight and enhances the overall medicinal value of its clients’ assets,” the press release stated.

Acu-Flow Ltd’s Nebu-Flow nebulizer platform received the Start-Up Initiative Award for overcoming technical limitations by “generating a soft aerosol, with high inhalable fraction (>90%), which can aerosolize biological formulation, such as RNA.”

The Supply Chain Excellence category was awarded to QYOBO GmbH for “a platform that provides crucial insights into global supply chains to help companies identify, manage, and anticipate supply risks. With data from over 250 sources, QYOBO offers a comprehensive view of supply chains for over two million drugs in over 40 countries, enabling quick, informed actions to mitigate risks and prevent drug shortages.”

Evonik Industries AG received the Sustainability Award for their PhytoSquene plant-based squalene for parenteral applications. “This is the first plant-derived, GMP-quality squalene. Pharmaceutical-grade squalene is currently sourced from shark liver oil, which depletes shark populations and negatively impacts marine biodiversity, whereas PhytoSquene is made from amaranth oil from the herbaceous plant Amaranthus caudatus, which can be grown as a renewable feedstock in many regions of the world.”

The Heart of Pharma award went to West Pharmaceutical Services for its collaboration with the Fox Chase Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, in the delivery of cancer screenings to residents of Pennsylvania via a mobile screening unit.

AustinPx received the Accelerating Innovation Award for its KinetiSol Technology, which is a fusion-based, solvent-free process designed to address poor drug solubility. “As new molecules emerge with complex properties, traditional formulation methods struggle to meet the demand for effective drug absorption. KinetiSol disrupts the status quo by rapidly converting crystalline drugs into amorphous solid dispersions, significantly enhancing bioavailability.”

“CPHI continues to drive the future of pharma by creating a platform where innovation thrives, and the brightest minds can exchange ideas and form impactful partnerships that elevate the entire pharmaceutical industry,” said Tara Dougal, Brand and Content Director at Informa Markets, in the press release. “I am thrilled to congratulate the winners of 2024 CPHI Pharma Awards, with special recognition to those honored in our new categories, the Future Leader Award and Start-up Initiative Award. These trailblazers are not just advancing drug discovery and delivery but inspiring the next wave of innovation and leadership in pharma. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and to our esteemed jury, whose insights have helped spotlight the very best our industry has to offer.”

References

1. CPHI. CPHI Excellence in Pharma Award Winners 2024. Press Release. Oct. 8, 2024.
2. CPHI. Awards—CPHI Milan. cphi.com/en/europe/cphi-celebration/awards.html (accessed Oct. 8, 2024).