Pharmapack Europe announces the winners of its awards Pharmapack Awards, which recognise excellence in six key categories. This year’s awards take a fresh approach, recognising both marketed products and innovations that are shaping the future of pharmaceutical packaging. For the first time, the awards were open to all entrants, encouraging greater inclusion and innovation.
Among the winners are many notable advancements, including an autoinjector that eliminates the need for manual needle placement, a fully recyclable and heat-sealable ultra-high barrier paper, and a multi-layer vial designed for the storage of gene therapy products. The innovations extend further with a pre-filled syringe packaging that reduces packaging waste by 62% and a non-electronic eco-label capable of monitoring both time and temperature. In addition, the inaugural “Woman of the Year” award was also presented.
The winner in the category of Innovation in devices and administration was the SHL Medical Elexy™ Reusable Electromechanical Autoinjector. Elexy™ is a drug-standalone solution that offers the greatest primary packaging flexibility among auto-injectors, meaning it accommodates both pre-filled syringe primary packaging and cartridge primary packaging. The cartridge version of Elexy features SHL’s market-proven Needle Isolation Technology (NIT®). With a pre-installed needle housed within the cap of an auto-injector, the patented NIT technology eliminates the need for a manual connection, offering patients a more convenient device.
In the Eco-Design category, the judges selected Huhtamaki its Omnilock™ Ultra paper, fully recyclable, heat-sealable and high-barrier. Specifically designed to replace non-recyclable multi-layer laminates, including those made of paper, plastic and aluminium, Omnilock™ Ultra paper represents a significant innovation in the field of sustainable packaging. It offers ultra-high barrier properties previously only found in non-recyclable multi-layer plastic and aluminium foil combinations. With a paper content ranging from 87-93% derived from FSC-certified fibres, the product maintains superior barrier performance while being environmentally friendly.
In the category of Packaging Innovation, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company was chosen as the winner for its new vials designed to store gene therapy products using dry ice and liquid nitrogen. Standard COP vials have a poor gas barrier that is not sufficient for O2 and CO2 sensitive drugs. OXYCAPT multilayer plastic vial It consists of three layers: the drug contact layer and the outer layer are made of COP, while the oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier layer is made of the novel MGC polyester. Consequently, OXYCAPT provides an excellent barrier against oxygen, carbon dioxide and UV rays, which is approximately 20 times better than standard COP monolayer vials.
In the Patient-Centered Design category, the Redesigned packaging for UCB Pharma's BIMZELX 160 mg autoinjector The brand impressed judges with its innovative features and patient-centric approach. Incorporating 15 new design elements, the packaging enhances the unpacking experience and prioritises ease of use, sustainability and functionality. Highlights include a “book-style” cardboard construction for better viewing of instructions, an intuitive closing mechanism, a tamper-evident design and a plastic tray made from 50% recycled PET material.
Active Label was the clear winner in the Startup Innovation category for the design of its non-electronic, environmentally friendly labels that monitor both time and temperature. These smart labels are activated by near-monochromatic UV light and use materials designed through collaborative research with universities and research centers. The information on the labels is read through a compact reader that uses optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and a proprietary algorithm to convert the signals into time and temperature data. This data is then stored in the cloud, making it accessible to customers remotely.
The inaugural Woman of the Year award went to Asmita Khanolkar of SMC LtdWith over two decades of experience, Asmita has designed, managed and led several products from concept to commercial launch. Its product portfolio includes single-use, wearable and implantable devices, drug-device combination products, biologics and drug delivery devices, biotechnology and biotherapeutics. Its applications span diverse indications such as diabetes, pain management, cell therapy, tissue regeneration, orthopedics, vascular, women’s health, oncology, surgical products and more. Collectively, it has made a significant contribution to the advancement of healthcare, with the launch of multiple medical devices as well as the commissioning of manufacturing lines for novel devices including first-in-human, single-use, on-body and implantable, drug delivery devices.
Pharmapack Award Winners 2025
DELIVERY AND DEVICE INNOVATION
SHL Medical for Elexy™ reusable electromechanical autoinjector
ECO-DESIGN WINNER
Huhtamaki for Omnilock™ Ultra PAPER
PACKAGING INNOVATION WINNER
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company for new OXYCAPT Multilayer Plastic Vial
PATIENT-CENTRIC DESIGN WINNER
UCB Pharma for Bimzelx 160mg 2ml autoinjectors product for US
START-UP INITIATION WINNER
Active Label for non-electric smart labels
WOMAN OF THE YEAR Asmita Khanolkar – SMC Lt
