ISPE’s official blog, iSpeak accepts contributions from our Members and professionals in the pharma industry.
With a packed conference schedule, it can be difficult to decide where to spend your time between educational sessions, networking events, and visits to the Expo Hall. At the 2026 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo, one destination deserves a place on...
Cannabidiol (CBD) presents a familiar, but demanding, drug-product problem: a highly lipophilic active molecule must be delivered through aqueous physiological environments, which can be reproduced. For prospective pain and inflammatory indications, formulation development therefore needs to distinguish carefully between improving the presentation of hydrophobic CBD and changing the...
The professional community of pharmaceutical quality, validation, and compliance has recently lost one of its most respected figures. Reetu Chopra, a senior leader in computer systems validation (CSV) and a long standing contributor to ISPE’s GAMP® community, leaves behind a legacy defined by expertise, mentorship, and professional commitment.
The 2026 ISPE Europe Annual Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, this past April brought together professionals from across the globe with a shared goal: advancing pharmaceutical manufacturing and ultimately improving the quality of human life. At the center of this gathering was ISPE’s strategic vision, crafted with the guidance of the International Board of Directors and, importantly, written...
Professionals attending the 2026 ISPE Annual Meeting and Expo, taking place 18-21 October in Washington, D.C., USA, and virtually, will have multiple opportunities to connect with industry leaders, develop practical leadership skills, and explore emerging trends through the event's Women in Pharma® programming.
In today’s pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, organizations are expected to do more than simply comply with regulations. Regulators, industry leaders, and patients increasingly expect pharmaceutical companies to build robust quality systems that consistently deliver safe, effective products while fostering continuous improvement across the organization. As a result, quality has evolved...
Hepalink Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. has earned recognition in the 2026 ISPE Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Innovation – Novel Technology category for its groundbreaking Shenzhen Hepalink Pingshan New Pre-filled Syringe Manufacturing Facility. The award recognizes facilities that demonstrate the innovative application of manufacturing technologies, facility design, and engineering...
Pharmaceutical manufacturing requires effective monitoring and control to ensure product quality, patient safety, and regulatory compliance. Investigations often depend on manual data review and cross-functional collaboration, making root-cause identification time-consuming. Vision Artificial Intelligence (vision AI) offers an opportunity to transform manufacturing operations through...
As pharmaceutical manufacturers continue to advance their digital transformation strategies, a fundamental industry question remains: What capabilities must be in place to successfully deliver Pharma 4.0™?
How can pharmaceutical companies meet ambitious sustainability targets while maintaining compliance, product quality, and operational performance? What strategies are organizations using to reduce carbon emissions, optimize water and energy consumption, and build more sustainable facilities? And how are industry leaders navigating evolving regulations; environmental, social, and governance...
Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) is frequently cited as a central control mechanism in AI-supported GxP processes: humans are expected to safeguard outputs generated within artificial intelligence (AI) supported GxP processes through review, approval, or override. However, findings from human factors research, organizational psychology, and the automation bias literature show that human oversight...
How can pharmaceutical organizations successfully scale digital transformation? What does effective Pharma 4.0™ implementation look like in practice? And how are industry leaders applying AI, smart manufacturing, advanced validation, and digital technologies to drive operational excellence while maintaining compliance?
AstraZeneca’s Commercial Cell Therapy Facility in Rockville, Maryland is setting a new benchmark for how pharmaceutical manufacturers can deliver lifesaving therapies while simultaneously advancing sustainability and operational excellence. Recognized as the 2026 ISPE Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Social Impact – Unmet Medical Needs Category Winner, the facility demonstrates how...
Expanding active life sciences manufacturing facilities presents unique challenges, where production continuity, regulatory compliance and tight shutdown windows leave little margin for error. Traditional project delivery methods often rely on assumptions and field discovery, increasing the risk of rework, schedule delays and operational disruptions. This blog post explores how digital...
This blog post provides insight into a field-tested case study on how redesigning PLC control logic—rather than adding equipment—increased vial-filling throughput by 14 percent and eliminated a recurring defect-related downtime issue, offering a practical framework other automation engineers can apply to their own lines.
At the 2026 ISPE AI in Life Sciences Summit – Powered by GAMP®, Lieutenant Seneca Toms, National Expert in Drugs, at the US FDA, reflected on how the life sciences industry should approach AI by drawing lessons from earlier technology transitions.
