CPHI Milan 2026 Tackles Pharma’s Next Big Challenges

Industry leaders, innovators and ambitious startups will meet at CHPI Milan in October 2026 to discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities affecting the pharmaceutical supply chain.

The three-day conference will take place at Fiera Milano from 6-8 October, and will offer a range of activities including premium networking opportunities, inspiring speakers, and the chance to connect with new suppliers.

CPHI events are an opportunity for the global pharmaceutical community to establish partnerships and formulate new solutions for key industry challenges. Last year’s conference in Frankfurt attracted more than 2,900 exhibiting companies and 250 expert speakers, and was attended by delegates from more than 166 countries.

This year, CPHI Milan features a broader program that addresses some of today’s most talked-about topics.

“This year’s expanded conference program will bring together the people leading key industry conversations, providing practical insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping pharma’s future, while the new CPHI Sustainability Summit will create further opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing and meaningful discussion across the pharmaceutical value chain,” said Tara Dougal, Event Director at Informa Markets.

Introducing the CPHI Sustainability Summit

Sustainability remains a priority for forward-thinking pharmaceutical companies. This year’s CPHI conference reflects that reality, with a two-day discussion-focused event dedicated to conversations around sustainable transformation.

The new CPHI Sustainability Summit will run for two days alongside CPHI Milan 2026, and will feature more than 20 roundtables, interactive discussions, hackathons and peer-to-peer working groups run by industry leaders.

The event will explore areas that are integral in driving more sustainable practices across the industry, including:  

• Implementing sustainability at scale across the pharma supply chain
• Navigating sustainability data quality for better real-world decision-making
• Designing the business case for more low-carbon clinical trials
• How to absorb green costs along the value chain

The summit is designed to give delegates tangible and commercially-driven takeaways which they can use to develop more sustainable operations in their companies.

Inspiring speakers take the stage

CPHI allows delegates to gather insights and inspiration on a range of topics, from investment to manufacturing, regulation, R&D and emerging technology. This year’s agenda features more than 250 speakers split across five content tracks, with talks from some of the leading voices in the global pharmaceutical community:

• Delegates will learn about the pharmaceutical industry’s “Manufacturing for the Medicines of Tomorrow,” from Edgardo Hernandez, Eli Lilly and Company’s Executive Vice President and President, Manufacturing Operations. This keynote will discuss how manufacturers are strengthening their supply networks to respond to the need for more complex medicines, as well as regulatory, geopolitical, and market developments.
• Roy Wouters, Managing Director and Co-Head of EMEA Healthcare Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan, will explore how geopolitics is re-shaping the pharmaceutical industry, and will offer advice on how companies can stress-test their investment strategies in future.
• Zentiva CEO and Medicines for Europe President Steffen Saltofte will outline the importance of building supply chains around resilience rather than just efficiency.
• Catalina Vargas, Senior Vice President, Global Business Unit, Bristol Myers Squibb, will explore what it takes to move beyond pilots and embed digital capabilities at scale—and why people, processes, and operating models are the true determinants of success.

New exhibition zones reflect the future of pharma

CPHI has always been a place for innovative companies to forge new partnerships. At CPHI Milan, exhibitors will once again have the chance to make key contacts and discuss the products, services and ideas that will shape the future.

More than 2,900 exhibitors are expected to appear this year, giving companies access to high-quality leads in a range of areas.

This year, CPHI unveils four new zones, showcasing technologies and services in spaces that are drawing considerable industry attention. These include:

AI and tech – Companies are keen to find ways to integrate digital solutions such as AI into their processes in a way that increases efficiency while protecting quality. This zone will feature technologies focused on quality management, predictive maintenance, commercial intelligence and smarter manufacturing.

Cold chain and logistics – Temperature-controlled storage is increasingly essential for companies working with biologics, vaccines and other advanced therapies. This zone will feature exhibitors offering technologies and solutions in fields such as transportation, warehousing, digital monitoring, risk management, automation and specialist packaging.

Labelling – Regulatory shifts have pushed technologies such as serialization and track-and-trace to the forefront of industry discussions in recent years. In this zone, companies will be able to meet with suppliers of labelling printing and coding technologies which can help drive this labelling evolution. Focus areas include developing more sustainable practices, ensuring regulatory compliance and developing stronger anti-counterfeiting practices.

Contamination control – International requirements such as EU GMP Annex 1 now call for the introduction of exacting contamination-control processes and technologies. This zone will feature companies who are active in that area, including suppliers of environmental monitoring systems, air-filtration technologies, isolators and modular cleanrooms.

“Pharma is highly innovative, but also tightly regulated, so the challenge is to integrate AI responsibly into the systems on which the industry depends,” said Dougal. “The new AI and tech zone will give technology providers and pharmaceutical leaders a dedicated space to explore practical applications, build confidence and form the partnerships needed to scale these technologies.”

Celebrating success at the CPHI Pharma Awards

The pharmaceutical industry is full of stories of progress and transformation. Every year, the CPHI Pharma Awards recognize those achievements and honor the community members that are driving innovation, championing sustainability and introducing fresh thinking to the sector.

The event will celebrate exceptional achievers in a variety of categories, from CEO of the Year and Future Leader, to awards that acknowledge innovation, sustainability, manufacturing excellence, drug delivery and device innovation, supply chain excellence and start-up success.

CPHI Milan takes place at Fiera Milano, Italy, from 6–8 October 2026. The CPHI Sustainability Summit runs from 6–7 October 2026. To register or find more information, go to https://www.cphi.com/europe/