ISPE is pleased to announce the 2026 FOYA Submission Finalists that met the rigorous qualifications and requirements of the FOYA program.
The 2026 FOYA Category Winners will be announced in-person and virtually during the ISPE International Europe Annual Conference on 20 April 2026.
AstraZeneca
Categories for consideration: Social Impact
Location: Rockville, Maryland, USA
Project: Commercial Cell Therapy Facility
The project mission was to accelerate AstraZeneca’s ambition to make next-generation cell therapy a reality, scaling globally to meet patient demand with uninterrupted access. Designed for 24/7 operations, the facility will deliver autologous CAR-T therapies for up to 4,000 cancer patients annually, supporting pivotal clinical trials and commercial-scale GMP manufacturing. Sustainability was a top priority throughout every stage of facility design and construction and into operations—ensuring that environmental responsibility was integrated alongside resiliency and patient access.
Bayer AG
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations, Pharma 4.0™
Location: Leverkusen, Germany
Project: SOLIDA-1
The SOLIDA-1 facility is a next-generation pharmaceutical manufacturing plant that redefines industry standards in modularity, adaptability, digitalization, and automation. Located in Leverkusen, Germany, SOLIDA-1 is a strategic cornerstone in Bayer’s mission of “Health for All, Hunger for None.” By combining cutting-edge technology with an unprecedented level of end-to-end automation, the facility is designed to bring innovative, complex medicines to patients faster than ever before, ensuring that critical therapies reach those who need them most.
BSP Pharmaceuticals SpA
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations, Supply Chain, Social Impact
Location: Latina, Italy
Project: An integrated state-of-the-art site for ADCs DS and DP, from IND to commercial supply
Since its foundation, BSP Pharmaceuticals has been fully dedicated to oncology and complex therapies, building an advanced and highly specialized facility for ADC designed to meet the most demanding requirements of innovation, quality and patient safety.
Chugai Pharma Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations, Supply Chain
Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka, Japan
Project: FJ3 Project
The project aimed to boost API production capacity by creating a new manufacturing facility at the Fujieda Plant. Completed in 36 months, it adhered to global GMP standards and included innovative containment solutions, automation technologies, and a seismic design for earthquake resilience, ensuring flexibility for diverse products and processes.
Denali
Categories for consideration: Operations, Social Impact
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Project: Amelia Earhart facility
The mission of the Denali Therapeutics Salt Lake City (SLC) Amelia Erhart facility is to accelerate the development and delivery of transformative therapies for neurodegenerative and rare diseases by enabling in-house clinical trial manufacturing and taking active control of outsourced supply chain limitations.
Eli Lilly & Company
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations, Pharma 4.0™
Location: Concord, North Carolina, USA
Project: Lilly Concord
Lilly’s Concord manufacturing site exemplifies advanced pharmaceutical production through cutting-edge automation and digital systems. Engineered as a paperless, automated facility, it integrates robotics and electronic execution for efficient, transparent manufacturing. This connected, data-driven approach ensures quality, compliance, and operational resilience in delivering medicines.
FUJIFILM Biotechnologies
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations, Pharma 4.0™, Social Impact
Location: Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA
Project: FUJIFILM Biotechnologies Holly Springs - Galaxy Project
The mission was to build a transformative biomanufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina and in doing so creating a scalable, resilient, and rapid drug manufacturing hub that could meet global needs with speed and precision.
Hepalink Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.
Categories for consideration: Innovation
Location: Shenzhen, China
Project: Hepalink Pingshan New Pre-filled Syringe Manufacturing Facility
Establish a 5G-enabled Smart Manufacturing Hub for Enoxaparin Sodium injections, producing 330 million units annually. The mission is to transform the pharmaceutical industry through 5G integration, AI-driven inspection, and edge computing, ensuring compliance with global GMP standards and enhancing the supply chain for critical anticoagulants.
HOVIONE
Categories for consideration: Innovation
Location: Loures, Portugal
Project: Continuous Tableting Facility (CT201)
Hovione’s CT201 is a continuous tableting platform that enhances solid-dose manufacturing through advanced technology and sustainability. It enables faster, cleaner, and more consistent delivery of therapies, reflecting Hovione’s commitment to lasting solutions in pharmaceutical manufacturing for patients, partners, and the planet.
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Categories for consideration: Operations, Supply Chain
Location: Beerse, Belgium
Project: Aseptic API Sterilization & Recrystallization Facility
Install new capacity and establish J&J Supply Chain Beerse, Belgium as a new state-of-the-art internal source of supply for commercial sterile crystallized Paliperidone Palmitate API manufacturing, securing reliable supply and enabling increased capacity for the Invega Long-Acting Injectable franchise.
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations, Supply Chain, Pharma 4.0™, Social Impact
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Project: CAR-T Techlane
Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech, partners since 2017, are expanding their collaboration to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ghent, Belgium. This site aims to swiftly deliver therapies for multiple myeloma patients and establish Belgium as a global hub for advanced cell therapy manufacturing.
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Categories for consideration: Innovation
Location: Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA
Project: Malvern Protein Lab Expansion (MPLE)
The Johnson & Johnson Malvern campus is the hub of biologics development, handling all stages from NME declaration to commercialization. The MPLE Project introduced advanced automation and cutting-edge capabilities, achieving LEED certification for sustainability while reducing energy consumption and costs, setting a new benchmark for biologics innovation.
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine - Pilot Plant
Categories for consideration: Operations
Location: Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA
Project: Project Polaris Pilot Plant
To create a flexible, future ready cGMP clinical drug substance manufacturing facility at J&J Innovative Medicine’s Malvern site by repurposing commercial suites into integrated spaces for development, analytical, and manufacturing operations. Equipped with advanced bioreactors, purification systems, and modular disposable technologies, the facility accelerates process knowledge, streamlines technology transfer, and supports early clinical development with efficiency and scalability.
Kite Pharma
Categories for consideration: Social Impact
Location: Frederick, Maryland, USA
Project: Sustainable Facility Design in T-Cell Factory Expansion
The Kite Frederick expansion aims to create a world-class facility for life-saving cell therapies while prioritizing environmental sustainability. It focuses on energy efficiency and waste reduction, combining advanced technology with green design to ensure responsible growth that meets patient demand and protects the planet and local communities.
Merck
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations
Location: West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
Project: Building 63A Syringe Filling Facility
The B63A facility was established to modernize Merck's vaccine production, replacing aging infrastructure with a high-speed, modular design. Fast-tracked for urgent public health needs, it ensures a continuous supply of critical vaccines, including pneumococcal and HPV, focusing on resilience, adaptability, and innovation in manufacturing.
Moderna, Inc.
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Operations, Supply Chain, Pharma 4.0™, Social Impact
Location: Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA
Project: Marlborough Facility of the Year
The Moderna Marlborough Campus spans over 94,000 sq. ft. and includes GMP manufacturing, QC labs, warehouse, and office space. Key features include 23,500 sq. ft. for manufacturing, 21,000 sq. ft. for QC, and room for future expansion. The facility is designed for operational efficiency and compliance.
New England Biolabs
Categories for consideration: Innovation
Location: Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA
Project: Garden Expansion Project
The Garden Expansion project's mission is to advance cutting-edge scientific technologies through responsible growth that reflects our core values and our duty as environmental stewards. We are dedicated to reducing our ecological impact and safeguarding biodiversity as we expand our capabilities.
Sanofi S.A.
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Pharma 4.0™
Location: Neuville-sur-Saône, France & Tuas, Singapore
Project: Modulus
Modulus by Sanofi aims to revolutionize biopharmaceutical manufacturing with a fully modular, digitally native production platform. It enhances agility and sustainability, enabling rapid transitions and simultaneous production of multiple products. The goal is to deliver life-changing medicines to patients swiftly and responsively, setting a new standard in biomanufacturing.
Takeda
Categories for consideration: Innovation, Social Impact
Location: Vienna, Austria
Project: AHEAD (Advanced Heat Pump Demonstrator)
Takeda’s AHEAD project is an innovative heat pump system that generates high-pressure steam using renewable electricity, reducing CO₂ emissions by 1,600 tons annually. It showcases large-scale decarbonization potential in the pharmaceutical industry and emphasizes collaboration by sharing knowledge to inspire sustainable innovation globally.