PharmaBlock bringt weltweit führende Branchenvertreter in Zürich zusammen, um die Grüne Chemie für eine nachhaltige pharmazeutische Produktion voranzutreiben

As Europe experienced one of the hottest Junes on record – with persistent heatwaves underscoring the urgency of climate action – leading pharmaceutical industry and academic figures gathered in Zurich for PharmaBlock’s 3rd Green Chemistry Symposium (GCS). The event aimed to discuss how ‘Green Chemistry’ and process innovation can accelerate the decarbonization of pharmaceutical manufacturing. The symposium brought together experts from Novartis, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, University of British Columbia, and other leading organizations, creating an international platform for exchanging ideas on green chemistry, process innovation, and the decarbonization of the pharmaceutical industry. “Green chemistry is no longer just an environmental initiative – it is evolving into a new engine for pharmaceutical innovation and competitiveness,” said Dr. Minmin Yang, Founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of PharmaBlock. “By bringing together global experts from academia and industry, we hope to accelerate the adoption of practical technologies that will shape the future of sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing.” Throughout the symposium, discussions highlighted a clear industry shift – moving away from improving individual processes towards redesigning pharmaceutical manufacturing through integrated green technologies. Experts elaborated on how continuous flow manufacturing enables safer, more efficient, and lower-carbon production, while technologies like photochemistry, electrochemistry, and AI-driven process development accelerate reaction optimization and process innovation. Green peptide manufacturing also took center stage, with advancements in bio-based solvents, continuous synthesis, and enzymatic ligation demonstrating practical pathways toward more sustainable production. Attendees also emphasized that incorporating carbon footprinting into early process development and strengthening Scope 3 collaboration across the entire supply chain will be crucial for achieving the industry’s long-term sustainability goals. During the symposium, PharmaBlock also showcased its integrated flow manufacturing platform, which combines reactor technology, process chemistry, digital optimization, and manufacturing, as well as its continuous liquid-phase peptide synthesis (CF-LPPS) platform, demonstrating scalable solutions for greener pharmaceutical manufacturing. Ahead of the symposium, PharmaBlock officially inaugurated its Swiss Green-Tech Innovation Hub, establishing a regional innovation platform for continuous flow technologies and green chemistry. The hub will strengthen collaboration with European pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions while accelerating the development and industrialization of sustainable manufacturing technologies. Now in its third year, the Green Chemistry Symposium has become an international forum connecting industry and academia to share ideas, accelerate the adoption of new technologies, and drive the transition toward a more sustainable pharmaceutical industry.