CPHI Milan, recognized as the world’s leading pharmaceutical gathering, took place last month in Milan achieving an unprecedented milestone with a record-breaking turnout of 59,000 pharmaceutical executives. This surge in numbers, invigorated by renewed confidence, led to enhanced on-site partnership activities.
The accomplishment of this event is broadly regarded as an indicator of the projected expansion within the global pharmaceutical industry for the following year. The attendance figure saw an impressive nine percent increase from 2023 and an extraordinary 45 percent rise over the span of the last two years. The heightened level of collaborative engagements is anticipated to translate into substantial industry growth by 2025, positioning contract services firms strategically well for incoming investments from biotechnology and major pharma projects.
“We enjoyed an immensely successful event this year in Milan, marked by unprecedented numbers of exhibitors and attendees,” stated Adam Andersen, Executive Vice President of Pharma at Informa. “The strong demand experienced has prompted us to plan an additional contract services hall for our next event in Frankfurt, catering to the escalating market requirements.”
Feedback consistently highlighted by attendees pointed to a notable upswing in partnership enthusiasm and deal volumes, heralding new supply chain partners emerging throughout the industry. This momentum is set to catalyze significant growth for both CPHI and the broader global pharma sector, in alignment with our mission to accelerate advancements in human health.
CPHI Milan saw exhibitor participation rise to 2,838, an 18 percent increase from the 2,400 registered in 2023, with attendees representing 148 countries. The forthcoming edition is slated for October 28-30 at Messe Frankfurt in Germany, recognized as a central hub for pharma manufacturing in Europe.
Among the insights gathered from CPHI Milan’s show floor was the persistent expansion of innovation sprouting from smaller enterprises. The Start-up Market segment is curated to enable larger corporations to connect with an expanding base of smaller firms. The 2024 edition showcased an impressive number of 89 Start-up companies, a rise from 40 in 2023, marking this as a major area of growth at the event as CPHI increasingly becomes a focal point for innovation in drug discovery, development, and commercialization. These trailblazers are pushing forward new targets, devices, and sustainable packaging solutions for the drug development and manufacturing landscape.
Gil Roth, President of the PBOA, noted, “From my conversations with exhibitors, it’s evident that market vigor has made a resurgence, with both exhibitors and attendees eager to spend time establishing new partnerships. CDMO members have reported engaging with a larger array of customers about diverse services and opportunities, which I trust will foster robust growth not just in 2025, but sustainably over the medium term as well.”