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Abstract: On September 17, 2025, The 2025 PharmaTEC Pharmaceutical Engineering International Forum (VPEIF) & the Inaugural Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Engineering Committee by Process China Were Successfully Concluded in Wuxi. As a key side event of the 2025 (17th) PharmaTEC Pharmaceutical Engineering International Forum, this meeting brought together over 30 experts, scholars, and enterprise representatives from pharmaceutical industry research, production, management, and engineering to collaboratively chart a new blueprint for industry development. The following day witnessed the grand opening of the 2025 (17th) PharmaTEC Pharmaceutical Engineering International Forum. The synergistic combination of these two events gathered nearly 600 experts, enterprise delegates, and regulatory officials from the pharmaceutical field, collectively marking a significant moment for advancing the industry.

The Chinese pharmaceutical industry is currently at a critical juncture in its strategic transformation from a "large pharmaceutical country" to a "strong pharmaceutical power." Amid profound shifts in the global pharmaceutical landscape and the deepening implementation of the "Healthy China" strategy, the industry faces both major opportunities and considerable challenges. Technologically, bottleneck issues in high-end pharmaceutical equipment persist, and the efficiency of innovative drug R&D and industrial conversion needs improvement. Internationally, companies navigating global markets encounter practical hurdles such as data compliance, regulatory trust, and alignment with quality standards. In terms of industrial upgrading, emerging fields like intelligent manufacturing and green production face shortages of specialized talent and underdeveloped interdisciplinary collaboration mechanisms. These deep-seated industry pain points urgently require a platform that can integrate resources and foster collaborative innovation. It is against this backdrop that the establishment of the "Process Industries" Pharmaceutical Engineering Committee is both timely and essential.

1 Committee Establishment: Building a Collaborative Industry-Academia-Research-Application Innovation Platform

At the Committee meeting on September 17, Liu Gang, Deputy Chief Engineer and Division Director of the Mechanical Industry Information Institute, elaborated on the committee's significance and future plans in his opening address. He stated that the committee would adhere to the principle of "Disseminating Advanced Technology, Serving Industry Development," aiming to build a higher-level, broader, and deeper collaborative innovation platform integrating industry, academia, research, and application. Liu Gang highlighted three core missions: First, integrating the Institute's "integrated five-in-one" professional knowledge service system resources to construct a multi-dimensional industrial service platform encompassing content, events, research, and services. Second, focusing on key technological areas like intelligent manufacturing, green production, and compliance validation to accelerate the transformation of innovative achievements and industrial upgrading. Third, pooling the expertise of industry specialists to fully act as a "connector" and "enabler," enhancing the international discourse power and influence of China's pharmaceutical industry.

Jiang Yabao, President of Modern Manufacturing Magazine, further elaborated on the committee's positioning and value based on industry characteristics. He noted that compared to other industrial sectors, the pharmaceutical industry is characterized by "high marketization, rapid innovation pace, and intense international competition," necessitating a service platform that is more practical, efficient, and closely aligned with industrial realities. Jiang expressed that the committee would synergize with the editorial board to advance the three strategic goals of "high-end development, intelligent transformation, and global expansion," helping enterprises explore new growth avenues and enhance their value chain position in a complex market environment.

Hu Jing, Project Lead for Pharmaceutical Process & Equipment at "Process Industries," systematically introduced the committee's supporting platform and development plan. She stated that after over 20 years of dedicated development, the PharmaTEC platform has established an integrated multi-media service system encompassing "journal + forum + video + report + training." Notably, the "Process Industries" journal has an annual circulation exceeding 80,000 copies, and the PharmaTEC Pharmaceutical Engineering International Forum has been successfully held for sixteen sessions, becoming a vital industry exchange platform. Looking ahead, the platform will focus on core areas like R&D and production, engineering and smart manufacturing, process and equipment, quality and control, providing comprehensive knowledge services and resource connections through thematic seminars, in-depth research, international cooperation, and more, ultimately building a precise and professional value ecosystem for the pharmaceutical industry integrating industry, academia, research, and application.

During the trend-sharing session, experts engaged in in-depth discussions on hot industry topics. The exchange of ideas was vibrant, sparking frequent insights and forward-looking perspectives. A consensus emerged that only through close collaboration among all stakeholders can the industry overcome existing bottlenecks and achieve a qualitative leap in the level of China's pharmaceutical industry.

2 Forum Overview: Creating a High-Quality Industry Exchange Platform

On September 18-19, the 2025 (17th) PharmaTEC Pharmaceutical Engineering International Forum was grandly held in Wuxi. As the flagship event of PharmaTEC, this year's forum, under the theme "Innovating Intelligent Pharma, Qualiting for the Future," featured 1 main forum, 8 specialized sub-forums, and 1 dedicated training session. Topics comprehensively covered cutting-edge fields including sterile preparations, solid dosage forms, biopharmaceuticals, green intelligent manufacturing, AI-driven digitalization, pharmaceutical facility globalization, pharmaceutical manufacturing practices, synthetic biology, and production equipment. Over 70 professional presentations showcased the latest technological achievements and practical case studies, fostering deep discussions on future trends. The forum's rich content and professional organization were highly praised by attendees.

A particular highlight was the 2024-2025 Outstanding Paper Awards Ceremony, which served as a significant incentive for industry innovation. The awards comprised three categories: "Outstanding Reviewer Award," "Most Popular Paper Award," and "Outstanding Author Award." Through a scientific evaluation system, a selection of outstanding papers distinguished by their content quality, innovation, and practicality were recognized. These award-winning papers not only represent the industry's technical standard but also provide valuable reference for practitioners.

The award ceremony, held in the main forum venue, was witnessed by industry elites from across the country, fully demonstrating the high value the industry places on technological innovation and knowledge sharing.

3 Conclusion

The successful pairing of the PharmaTEC Forum and the Committee's inaugural meeting has established a new platform for the high-quality development of China's pharmaceutical industry. This powerful combination has not only built a platform for deep integration and exchange but also opened channels for dialogue on technological innovation and industrial upgrading, injecting fresh vitality into the sector. Looking forward, let us join hands, drive development through innovation, build brands with quality, and collectively propel China's historic leap from a pharmaceutical giant to a pharmaceutical power, contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to the global advancement of medicine.