Packing for Paris: Pharmapack Europe 2019 preview

It’s an exciting time for the medical packaging industry, with many new products entering the market that demand multifaceted packaging. Pharmapack Europe, held in Paris, will be a meeting of minds for those looking for a new approach.

New packaging regulations have led to contract packaging organisations taking a more significant role in producing advanced packaging and drug delivery solutions.

Pharmapack Europe will take place 6-7 February 2019 at the Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, France.

This year, Pharmapack is expected to play host to over 410 exhibitors and 5290 attendees from more than 100 countries over two days, making it the most international edition to date.

The conference agenda will consist of a two day programme delivered by high-level industry expert speakers discussing current pharmaceutical packaging market trends, along with an overview and analysis on regulatory changes in the EU and US markets. Some of the major topics will include: patient adherence, challenges in usability, regulatory updates, biologics and biosimilars, drug delivery devices, sustainability, and devices.

Highlights from the conference agenda include Dr Alex Cole of the CPI, who will discuss the future of smart pharmaceutical packaging and smart medical devices. The agenda also includes an entire session devoted to new packaging materials and drug delivery systems, as well as a session on the challenges and solutions when developing a custom primary container.

The 2019 Technical Symposium, designed to promote exhibitors, will provide insight from pharma industry leaders on tackling the challenges and technical problems associated with novel approaches. This will include case-studies on pre-filled on body Injectors, drug-device combinations, drug repurposing, glass pre-fillable syringes, QBD and nasal delivery innovations. Additionally, this year, sustainable approaches to medical plastic packaging will be a topic of discussion.

The 2019 edition of Pharmapack will also feature the Learning Lab, situated directly on the exhibition floor, it is designed to inform visitors on the latest exhibitor products and services. Session highlights include a presentation from by Hiroki Hasegawa, Researcher at Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc., on the best plastic vial & syringe for oxygen sensitive drugs and a talk from Arnaud Guillet, Business Development Director at Biocorp on how smart devices are changing drug delivery.

The Pharmapack Awards will be hosted alongside Pharmapack Europe 2019 and will celebrate the latest innovations from the pharmaceutical packaging industry. The awards have two categories – health products and exhibitor innovations. Each are judged by a panel of independent industry experts and decision-makers, and the awards will be presented on 6 February.

Last year’s awards saw an influx of entries of exceptional calibre. All exhibitor innovations submitted for the Pharmapack Awards are showcased in the Innovation Gallery, which gives a comprehensive overview of recently launched products. Moreover, there will also be hour long guided Innovation Tours, delivered by industry experts, to highlight exceptional exhibitors throughout the innovation gallery.

To celebrate, young companies, at the centre of the show will be the 2019 Start-up Hub, providing a platform dedicated to emerging new and innovative technologies in the fields of pharmaceutical packaging, labelling, drug delivery device design and engineering. Exhibitors here will showcase product innovations and take part in the Start-up Pitch – retained from last year, this opportunity gives exhibitors the chance to pitch their company to a panel of experts in front of a live audience of industry professionals.

Finally, the International Meetings Programme is a complementary online service provided by goMed2Med that enables all attendees to pre-arrange mutually-beneficial meetings at the event. Meetings can be arranged to take place either in the International Meeting Lounge – stand G70 – or on the exhibitor’s stand.