CPHI Milan 2026 preview: key themes and emerging trends

From 6–8 October 2026, the global pharmaceutical community will gather at Fiera Milano for CPHI Milan. Ahead of the event, we explore some of the key themes set to shape conversations across the pharmaceutical industry.

As scientific innovation accelerates, pharmaceutical companies face the challenge of translating new technologies and therapies into scalable, resilient and commercially viable products. At the same time, sustainability, artificial intelligence, patient access, supply chain resilience and evolving manufacturing requirements are creating new priorities across the industry.

This report brings together expert perspectives on some of these key issues, from the future of sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing to the practical challenges of scaling advanced therapies and applying AI across the drug development landscape.

In this report

• What to expect from CPHI’s inaugural Sustainability Summit and its vision for more sustainable pharma.
• How combining data-driven insight with scientific expertise can support better decision-making in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.
• The challenges of building a scalable European model for CAR-T therapies and improving patient access.
• Why the pharmaceutical industry has yet to fully realise AI’s potential in clinical trials – and what needs to change.
• How advances in excipient technology can support more effective and sustainable formulations.
• How nanotechnology, 3D printing and AI could reshape approaches to drug delivery.
• How AI and digitalisation are changing expectations of pharmaceutical development and CDMO partnerships.

Download the report to explore the issues likely to be at the forefront of pharmaceutical industry discussions around CPHI Milan 2026.