Pharma Expo Conference and Innovation Stage shoot to solve top industry challenges

Pharma Expo 2016 (Nov. 6–9; McCormick Place, Chicago), co-located with Pack Expo International will provide two educational platforms to address key trends and issues along the pharmaceutical supply chain. The show, produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, will feature a dedicated Innovation Stage as well as the Pharma Expo Conference Program organized by the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE). Each will address the latest technologies and practices in combating counterfeit drugs, packaging for patient safety and enhancing efficiency and flexibility.

According to the soon-to-be released 2016 Brand Protection and Product Traceability Market Research Report and infographic from PMMI, counterfeiting is increasing three percent per year worldwide. The pharmaceutical segment represents the most valuable part of that market, with $75 billion of revenue derived globally from counterfeit drugs.

To help pharmaceutical manufacturers overcome this challenge, several educational sessions across both platforms will address technologies and practices that combat counterfeiters. These include the Pharma Expo Conference Program’s session on smart packaging for pharmaceutical authentication and patient compliance on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Within the topic of anti-counterfeiting measures, serialization will be a core focus. Attendees can choose from a range of sessions addressing technologies and best practices, including the conference’s dedicated panel presentation and discussion on serialization and compliance on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Beyond serialization and anti-counterfeiting solutions, the broader subjects of operational efficiency and flexibility are other topics dominating both platforms. Day one of the conference will explore technologies designed to improve efficiency and flexibility in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical plants. Sessions include explorations of modular and prefabricated cleanroom structures, single-use filling systems and leveraging the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Last but not least, packaging for patient safety is also an important theme running through both the conference and Innovation Stage programming. A conference session on Wednesday, Nov. 9 will examine the close inspection of container closure integrity and the Innovation Stage will house presentations on child-resistant and tamper-evident cartons, combating moisture ingress, and ultrasonic sealing of thin-film flexible packaging for the prevention of oxygen transmission.

“Amid the threats of counterfeit drugs and conditions that create production shortages, advancements in pharmaceutical packaging saves lives,” said Maria Ferrante, senior director, marketing and communications, PMMI. “Manufacturers in this industry must stay one step ahead of counterfeiters and regulations at all times, and we are very proud to make Pharma EXPO a hub for the insights they need.”

The Pharma Expo Conference Program (Nov. 7–9) will be held in the West Building (Room W-190A) and will provide a private atmosphere for learning with three topic tracks covering manufacturing operations, compliance trends and pharmaceutical packaging. Each track runs one day of the three-day conference and includes five 50-minute sessions. Designed for the convenience of on-the-go show attendees, the Innovation Stage provides a total of fourteen free, on-floor, half-hour sessions from Nov. 7–9.