In the 23 years since the first CPhI event the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has changed out of all recognition. Some changes have been radical, while others have been subtle, but CPhI is a vastly different experience from 1990 or even from just a decade ago.
In 2002, the emphasis was firmly on ingredients and small molecule drugs. The outsourcing side of the industry fitted into a small area tucked away at the back of one hall, and of machinery, processing equipment and packaging there was no sign. Biopharmaceuticals may have been a twinkle in a scientist’s eye, but they were still several years away from reaching the market.
Big Pharma looked down from the lofty heights of blockbuster security and occasionally let a few crumbs fall from the table to feed the generics industry, and nobody was seriously considering business relationships of any kind – let alone a merger, joint venture or partnership – with companies in India or China.
Today, there are few pharma companies of any size that do not have some form of collaboration with companies in Asia, and rather than being viewed as a cheaper alternative to domestic supply of goods and services, many are now respected for their scientific research skills and innovative technology.
The path to even closer co-operation is unlikely to be completely smooth, however. A number of scandals in China involving melamine in baby milk, contaminated Heparin, gelatine capsules containing chromium and most recently the manufacture of an antibiotic intermediate using reprocessed oil made from kitchen waste – so-called ‘gutter oil’– have created a few bumps in the road.
This is why events such as CPhI are a vital element in bringing a truly global industry together in one city once a year. In this era of electronic communications, the opportunity to meet face-to-face, albeit briefly, is still vital to promote understanding of mutual needs and expectations and make sure the pharma manufacturing industry continues to move forward.