tfz Innovation Inside Pharma

A day of innovation and collaboration: ‘tfz Innovation Inside Pharma’ brings future trends to the stage

On 23 October 2024, leading experts from the pharmaceutical and biotech industry gathered at the premiere of ‘tfz Innovation Inside Pharma’ at the Novartis Pharma Campus in Rotkreuz. The exclusive event, organised in collaboration with Interpharma, provided a platform for visionary ideas and pioneering technologies that will shape the healthcare of tomorrow.

With an inspiring programme that provided both practical insights and visionary outlooks, the event attracted numerous people interested in innovation - from pharmaceutical experts and researchers to political decision-makers. Under the motto ‘Innovation meets the future’, the declared aim was to present innovative solutions for the major challenges facing the industry.

The pharmaceutical industry is facing a multitude of challenges today: Regulatory hurdles, exploding development costs and the urgent need to develop new antibiotics to counter the threat of multi-resistant germs. At the same time, ground-breaking technologies such as mRNA technology and personalised medicine are opening up new opportunities, as Dr René P. Buholzer, CEO of Interpharma, impressively emphasised in his opening keynote: ‘The pharmaceutical industry is a real driver of innovation - but we must be proactive in shaping the future.’

A particular focus was on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug development. AI can speed up research and make personalised treatments more precise, as oncologist Prof. Dr Roger von Moos emphasised in his keynote speech on cancer research.

These insightful keynotes were followed by a series of ‘power slots’ in which pioneering approaches were presented. These included a contribution from CSEM on combining biology and technology for personalised health, as well as a presentation by Prof. Dr Daniel Ahmed from ETH Zurich, who introduced innovative methods of drug delivery using micro- and nanorobots. New, up-and-coming companies were also given a stage. In the ‘New Players, New Ideas’ slot, start-ups presented their disruptive innovations that could further change the industry in the coming years.

The final highlight was the high-calibre panel discussion, moderated by Birgit Voigt. The experts discussed the balance between innovation, economic sustainability and global access to life-saving therapies.

Afterwards, the networking lunch offered participants the opportunity to exchange ideas and forge new partnerships. ‘It is precisely these discussions and collaborations that help us move forward - innovation thrives on exchange,’ said one participant from the pharmaceutical industry.
‘tfz Innovation Inside Pharma’ impressively demonstrated how innovation can shape the future of healthcare. The technologies and solutions presented are just a taste of how the industry is responding to global challenges and opening up new horizons at the same time. The premiere was a complete success and we are already looking forward to an exciting follow-up next year.