CPhI Announces CPhI Pharma Award Winners

CPhI Worldwide recognized innovation in process development, formulation, and packaging by announcing the winners of the CPhI Pharma Awards 2013 in a special ceremony at CPhI Worldwide in Frankfurt this week. Winning for process development was API Corporation (Tokyo) for a practical synthesis of functionalized pharmaceuticals through carbon–hydrogen activation. Camurus (Lund, Switzerland) won for best innovation in formulation for FluidCrystal, a proprietary injection depot and related technology, and E-Pharma Trento (Trento, Italy) was recognized for innovation in packaging for a three-layer blister pack designed to protect fragile dosage forms such as orally disintegrating tablets.

API Corporation was among three finalists for the award for best innovation in process development, which also included Bachem (Bubendorf, Switzerland) for a chemical synthesis of interferon beta-1a and Codexis (Redwood City, California) for biocatalytic oxidations. In winning the top prize for innovation in process development, API Corporation was recognized for developing a catalyst system for carbon–hydrogen activation that was applied to the commercial synthesis of angiotensin II receptor blockers.

In addition to Camurus, the finalists for best innovation in formulation were Bitop AG (Witten, Germany) for Ectoin, a proprietary ingredient derived from extremophilic microorganisms that has cell-protective properties that can be used in medical devices, life-science products, and cosmetics,and EmulTech BV (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) for its microfluidic platform and technology. Camurus won the top prize for formulation innovation for its FluidCrystal injection depot. The system, which consists of a lipid-based liquid solution that transforms on contact into a liquid crystal gel matrix in situ with small quantities of aqueous fluid at the site of injection, encapsulates the drug substance to provide controlled release and enhanced drug stability. The system can be used for sustained parenteral delivery of small molecules, peptides, and proteins.

E-Pharma Trento was one of three finalists for innovation in packaging, which also included Doctor Pack India (Bangalore, India) for Magic Cap, an alternative to a conventional piercing cap that is used for sterile piercing and precise dosing for eye, ear, nasal, and oral drops, and Neutroplast (Sobral Monte Agraço, Portugal) for a vaginal applicator. E-Pharma Trento was recognized for best innovation in packaging for a three-layer blister pack designed to protect fragile dosage forms such as orally disintegrating tablets. The packaging allows for the push-through of tablets from the blister pack while protecting them from breakage. The advance is based on a rigid capsule that protects the tablet while helping to release it from the blister pack.