Concentrated pharmaceutical power: CPhI 2019 in Frankfurt

CPhI worldwide is the most important trade fair for the pharmaceutical industry. Founded in 1990 as an international chemical and pharmaceutical trade fair, it has developed into the largest pharmaceutical trade fair in the world. This year it took place from 5 to 7 November 2019 in Frankfurt. More than 2,500 exhibitors from around 150 countries offered the over 45,000 high-ranking pharmaceutical representatives, including almost 50 per cent from top management, a complete overview.

Thanks to the cooperation with the trade fairs P-MEC (machine manufacturer), InnoPack (Pharmaceutical packaging), ICSE (outsourcing provider), FDF (companies in the dosing supply chain) and BioProduction (bioprocessing and biomanufacturing), numerous companies demonstrated their capabilities. Innovative products in the Innovation Gallery, specialised seminars at many stands, panel discussions on the topics of natural extracts and the World of Pharma provided insights into new products, manufacturing processes and market opportunities. In this way, the entire pharmaceutical industry is reached and creates enormous synergies with regard to the exchange of ideas and information in the sector.

Accompanying trade fairs highly frequented

By far the most stand space was occupied by the Active ingredient provider API/active pharmaceutical ingredient. Further highlights were InnoPack with the Suppliers of pharmaceutical packaging and the P-MEC hall. New and further developments in pharmaceutical machinery were presented at the stands here. With the increase in biologics and automated processing, mechanical engineering has become a key factor in the development of new therapies.

For example, the Italian Steriline, a leading company in robotics, presents its new RNFM-LAB robotic nest filling machine for research laboratories. The machine works with two dosing pumps, a stopper setting system and a manual tube loading and unloading system. This enables a throughput of up to 1,000 pieces per hour to be achieved. It is designed exclusively for the research and development of new injectable drugs in the nest via syringes, cartridges or vials. This development was a major challenge for Steriline, which had previously only developed machines for production.

Romaco and Huhtamaki presented the first Recyclable strip packaging for pharmaceutical solids before. The HM 1-230 heat-sealing machine from Romaco Siebler is used to produce the push-through push packs. Recyclable polyolefin laminate is used as the material for the Push Pack model. The upper side is transparent and shows the contents, while the underside can be printed, for example with information about the product and dosage. Over 90 per cent of the components used to manufacture the packaging are of the same material class (PE and PP). This results in a recycling rate for primary packaging of more than 70 per cent.

In the pharmaceutical packaging area of InnoPack, one of the exhibitors was the Faller Group intelligent products. For example, the folding carton becomes the patient's partner, helping them to take their medication as prescribed by their doctor. The times and quantities are transferred to electronic media such as smartphones, tablets or PCs via an integrated chip.