PHARMAP 2024 held in Amsterdam, marks its fourth edition

The event brought together over 330 professionals from across the industry’s value chain

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Packaging Congress (PHARMAP 2024) was held in Amsterdam, Netherlands on April 22-23, 2024. 

According to its statement, PHARMAP 2024 brought together over 330 professionals from across the industry’s value chain. Among the attendees, contract manufacturing organisations, service providers and experts were present. Representatives from leading pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, Bayer AG, Novartis, Takeda and Pfizer also participated in the Congress.

Regionally, it was supported by industry pioneers, including MSD, Johnson and Johnson Innovative Medicine, Organon, Echo Pharmaceuticals B.V. and Produlab Pharma.

In an overview, the event comprised a business programme packed with sessions, roundtables and panel discussions. Topics of sessions delved into the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing, focusing on Industry 4.0 advancements like MES and robotics. Attendees discussed innovative models for production and packaging, sustainable eco-packaging solutions and strategies for optimising the pharmaceutical supply chain.

 The first day of the event commenced with a welcome speech by Natalya Kuznetsova, Project Director. The opening panel featured speakers from Optel Group, PHARMAZAC SA, MSD, Organon, Bayer AG, eCValidation and Dohmeyer.

 Florent Bouguin, CTO of Optel Group, uncovered how ultra-low temperatures, crucial for cryopreservation, are revolutionising mRNA production for next-generation medical interventions, particularly vaccines and therapies. 

Chakravarthi AVPS, Global Ambassador from World Packaging Organisation, emphasised “patient centricity” — designing packaging that is inclusive, engaging and informative, essentially making the package a “second physician” for the patient, especially in a post- pandemic world. Other speakers shared their insights on the evolving landscape of pharma manufacturing and packaging, specifically focusing on innovative approaches.

The first day’s sessions also explored new models for pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality packaging, as well as pressing supply chain and logistics issues. They examined packaging compliance, promoting sustainability and scaling up production with efficient project management and eco-friendly solutions. 

The second day started off with a panel discussion sponsored by Systech, where delegates debated serialisation and track-and-trace technologies in the pharmaceutical packaging sector. Presentations covered diverse topics: Erika Diago Rufino, Director Regulatory Affairs of Johnson and Johnson Innovative Medicine, talked about e-labeling in Brazil. Otherwise, Duccio Lombardi, Serialisation Manager — Corporate Global Quality Management from Menarini Group, and David Collins, Vice President from Systech, demonstrated best practices in serialisation compliance and the emerging opportunities in the serialisation market driven by AI and cloud computing. 

The delegates discussed pharmaceutical process optimisation, patient-centric packaging design and future facility design tendencies.

PHARMAP 2024 concluded with a session exploring pharmaceutical trends, market forecasts and critical quality control practices. Specialists from Fedegari Group, SPA Pharma Invest Production and Produlab Pharma shared their opinions and expertise. The next edition of the event is going to take place in Berlin, Germany on 14-15 April and mark its 5th edition.