Event to capitalise on growing importance of MEA region to international pharma industry

UBM EMEA, the organiser of the leading global pharmaceutical exhibition CPhI, has announced the Middle East and Africa edition will make its regional debut in the UAE capital at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 3-5 September 2018.

CPhI Middle East & Africa is the region’s leading platform that brings together pharma ingredients, product manufacturers, suppliers and buyers covering every step of the pharma supply chain from drug research and discovery to finished dosage. Supported by Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the event is set to attract attendees from the Middle East and Africa (MEA), of which the MENA region accounts for 4% of the global pharma market, and the rest of the world. 

Over 200 local, regional and international exhibitors from more than 30 countries are expected to attend the three-day showcase. In addition to the global network of exhibitors, the event is expected to attract over 5,000 participants, more than 50 per cent of which are expected to come from the MEA region.

Key growth drivers are attributed to a growing population, and greater investment in healthcare by governments. Some of the strongest governments' investment in infrastructure include the implementation of health insurance and privatisation systems; development of medical tourism infrastructures; development of domestic manufacturing; and access to innovative drugs.

Looking forward, new innovative drugs to come on the MEA market will be related to obesity and hypertension, while the region supports a strong opportunity for producing drugs for orphan and rare diseases.

“Despite plentiful opportunities, the region is also one of the most complex markets to operate in, due to varying rules, standards and systems, across regulatory, market access, and pricing points. In addition to providing a platform to meet, and to do business, CPhI Middle East & Africa will also offer high-level content, and insights into developing strategies for overcoming these challenges.” said Cara Turner, Brand Director.

“The exhibition is designed to increase partnerships and business opportunities on both a local and international level, this in turn will have a significant impact on increasing the value of the MENA pharma market to over US$44 billion by 2020 with this exhibition serving as a platform to further increase the value of the market in this region,” she added.

The exhibition is broken down into five distinct sectors of the pharmaceutical industry:

  • CPhI: Brings together buyers, manufacturers and suppliers of pharmaceutical ingredients

  • FDF: Meet with manufacturers from every aspect of the finished dosage supply chain

  • ICSE: Connects the pharma community with CRO and CMO companies and technologies

  • P-MEC: Showcases the newest pharmaceutical machinery, equipment and technology providers

  • InnoPack: Hosts the latest innovations in packaging, integrated solutions and drug delivery systems

The exhibition will also feature Live Pharma Connect, a free service open to visitors and exhibitors allowing both parties to make pre-arranged pharma specific, mutually beneficial meetings during the event.

Running in parallel to the exhibition will be a range of content sessions addressing the latest trends in the market, a range of keynote addresses, as well as a host of networking opportunities.

Hot topics of discussion on the show floor will include the key drivers behind the MEA pharma market, including the growth of the population, greater investment and spending in healthcare from governments, western lifestyle influence on health such as obesity and chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and oncology.

According to the International Diabetes Federation in November 2014 the UAE alone had over 800,000 diabetics in the UAE, nearly one fifth of the total population and the health authority estimated that within a few years the UAE would be home to 1.8 million suffers.

Manel Chikh, CEO, Zaphyr Pharma, said: “This event will be a fantastic opportunity to highlight the region to the wider pharma market and to give foreign companies real exposure to the potential opportunities it offers. API developers, finished dosage suppliers, CROs and manufacturers will have the chance to build strong relationships with key regional and local players to encourage local production, as well as stimulate imports of high quality and effective medicines in the region.”

The event takes place from 3-5 September at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. For registration or further information please visit www.cphi.com/mea.  

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About CPhI

CPhI drives growth and innovation at every step of the global pharmaceutical supply chain from drug discovery to finished dosage. Through exhibitions, conferences and online communities, CPhI brings together more than 100,000 pharmaceutical professionals each year to network, identify business opportunities and expand the global market. CPhI hosts events in Europe, North America, Korea, China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and co-locates with ICSE for contract services, P-MEC for machinery, equipment & technology, FDF for finished dosage formulations, InnoPack for pharmaceutical packaging and BioPh for biopharma. CPhI provides an online buyer & supplier directory at CPhI-Online.com.

For more information visit: www.cphi.com

The UBM annual schedule of Pharmaceutical events includes: CPhI, ICSE, P-MEC, BioPh and InnoPack Japan (18-20 April, 2018 at the Big Sight Exhibition Centre – Tokyo, Japan); CPhI, ICSE, FDF and InnoPack North America (24-26 April, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center – Philadelphia, USA); CPhI and P-MEC China (20 – 22 June, 2018 at SNIEC – Shanghai, China); CPhI Korea (28-30 August 2018, COEX, Seoul, Korea); CPhI Middle East & Africa (3-5 September, 2018 at the ADNEC – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates). BioLIVE (9-11, October, 2018 in Madrid); CPhI, ICSE, P-MEC, FDF and InnoPack Worldwide (9-11 October, 2018 at the IFEMA, Feria de Madrid – Madrid, Spain); CPhI & P-MEC India (3–6 December 2018 at the BEC and BKC Exhibition and Convention Centres – Mumbai, India); Pharmapack Europe (6-7 February, 2019 at the Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles – Paris, France); CPhI, P-MEC, ICSE, Labworld and Innopack South East Asia (6-8 March, 2018 at BITEC - hall 99 – Bangkok, Thailand).

About UBM

UBM is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM.

© Press Release 2018