The time has come for innovative companies to prepare their entries for the CPhI Innovation Awards
Although this year's CPhI Worldwide show in Milan is still almost four months away (2-4 October), the deadline for entries to the 2007 CPhI Innovation Awards is much closer - falling on Friday, 17 August. As the exclusive media partner for the 2007 Awards, Manufacturing Chemist is taking this early opportunity to draw attention to the deadline.
Launched in 2004 to showcase some of the best new ideas in pharma technologies at Europe's biggest trade show for the sector, the CPhI Innovation Awards have grown steadily in stature and market relevance - 'recognising and rewarding groundbreaking developments in pharmaceutical manufacturing'.
Over three years of Awards, more than 70 innovations have successively competed for the judges' verdicts in Brussels, Madrid and Paris. For 2007, the Awards have a media partner for the first time and Manufacturing Chemist is delighted to be working with show organiser CMP Information.
Innovation may be a consistent main theme running through pharma manufacturing and services, but the 'invent' challenges are being made tougher by the 'make' dynamics. And as the industry responds to new drivers in terms of regulation, cost ('patient affordability') and environmental footprint, innovation has to get over such increasingly higher bars.
It is therefore not surprising that phrases associated with winners from the 20 Awards entries in 2006 included: 'Improved speed and efficiency'.. 'higher reaction yields' and 'greener processes'. Expect responses to such key challenges again this year.
'The Innovation Awards are now firmly established as the international showcase for exceptional work in pharma r&d - and enjoy a very high profile platform under the CPhI brand,' said CPhI Events Director Annemieke Timmers.
'This year will mark the first 'next generation' CPhI Worldwide as the show adds a digital dimension and becomes a potential 24/7 business partner to the industry.
'That will bring even greater visibility and access to innovations competing for the Awards - which will add real value for both originating companies and customers that can benefit from the technology gains involved,' she added.
Entry to the CPhI Innovation Awards is open to all companies exhibiting at CPhI Worldwide 2007. The judges will be looking for clearly evidenced and well-documented process or product innovations that have practical applications within pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Companies short-listed as nominees for the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be advised at the beginning of September, and the winners announced at the Exhibitor Party on the first evening of CPhI Worldwide in Milan - Tuesday, 2 October. Each of the short-listed entries will feature on the dedicated Innovation Awards stand (20G01) at the show; on the www.cphi.com website - and be able to place their full presentation on the website after the show.
Before that, Manufacturing Chemist will update readers as the entries build -both in print and on line. It will also carry full reports on the winning entriesin one of the post-CPhI issues. Each of the three winners will be invited to contribute an article about their award-winning innovation.
This year's distinguished panel of judges will be: Hendrik Baumann - commercial director, CU Chemie Uetikon; Zoran Buncic - executive director, Pliva; Didier Bensoussan - director, business development, Thermo Fisher Scientific; Hans-Leonhard Ohrem - technical manager, Merck KGaA; and Andreas Stolle - head of process development, Saltigo GmbH.
The top three. in Paris last year were:
- Biocatalytics: There is a strong need to produce and characterise metabolites of developmental drugs for potential toxicity prior to human testing. By developing the Human Cytochrome Biocatalyst product line - which includes all the human liver cytochromes - BioCatalytics improved the speed and efficiency of producing drug metabolites;
- Codexis applied its Smart Synth integrated chemical process development platform to an innovative process for production of hydroxynitrile (HN), an important chiral intermediate for atorvastatin, the API in the world's largest-selling drug for lowering cholesterol - bringing dramatic increases in reaction productivity;
- PhosphonicS has discovered and developed novel functionalised materials specifically designed to enhance purification and production process performance. The technology is flexible and scaleable - making large-scale applications feasible. Materials are used for chiral separations and organic impurity removal from products such as complex polymers.
To enter for the CPhI Innovation Awards, simply download an entry form from www.cphi.com, where all key supporting information can also be found. For detailed enquiries, email ltromp@cmpi.biz or call direct on +31 346 559431.