DCAT Week 2025: Sustainability in Medical Propellants

While attending the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT) Week from March 17–20, 2025 in New York City, Pharmaceutical Technology® talked with Markus Laubscher, general manager of Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials Pharma Business Unit, about Orbia’s latest efforts to develop sustainable solutions while keeping abreast of regulatory changes, offering a look into the future of the industry.

Laubscher became the general manager of Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials’ Pharma Business Unit in July 2024. Since that time, he has overseen Orbia’s focus—under its Koura Global brand—on sustainable solutions for medical propellants for respiratory medicines.

“What you will see over the next decade is that more and more pharma companies are going to invest into restructuring their production so that they can start to use the newer green solutions, and you will see a number of regulatory processes being followed where the regular medical regulatory bodies are going to critically look at the safety and efficacy of these propellers, and make sure that they give them their approval if they're happy,” Laubscher says in the interview. “So we'll see a period of approvals [and] regulatory activity in the transition, and investments that are needed in order to make sure that the new production facilities manage the new products. And for the patients, there shouldn't be any interruption in terms of having access to their medication—and actually, there shouldn't be any kind of change in how they will use their products.”

Click the video above to watch the full interview.

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About the speaker

Markus Laubscher, General Manager of Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials Pharma Business Unit

Markus Laubscher leads the Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials team, focusing on innovating and delivering medical propellants for respiratory medicines. Driven by Orbia’s purpose to advance life around the world by improving outcomes for both the patient and the planet, Laubscher is a key voice in the future of medical propellants and its responsible application in the pharmaceutical sector. As a leader at Orbia, he is driving innovation to meet evolving health needs while ensuring sustainability in an industry facing regulatory shifts. With Orbia’s deep-rooted history in pharma, Laubscher is at the forefront of adapting to changing market dynamics, particularly during the critical transition to next-generation propellants, a shift expected to reshape the industry over the next decade. His insights into regulatory adaptation, sustainability, and market evolution make him a valuable resource for media covering this intersection of pharma, chemistry, and innovation.