Pharma Manufacturing & Supply Chain Summit | Day 1
7:45 am
NETWORKING BREAKFAST: BUILD COMMUNITY CONTACTS
- Start your day off right and connect with pharma manufacturing & supply chain leaders
- Get to know your industry peers and colleagues over a delicious breakfast
- Source practical tips, discuss best practices and prepare for the day ahead
8:45 am
OPENING COMMENTS FROM YOUR HOST
Gain insight into today’s sessions so you can get the most out of your conference experience
9:00 am
OPENING KEYNOTE
NAVIGATE EVOLVING GMP REQUIREMENTS AND INSPECTION TRENDS IN CANADA TO PROTECT SUPPLY AND CONTINUOUS PRODUCT AVAILABILITY
GMP expectations are evolving globally, with increasing focus on data integrity, risk-based quality systems, and digital manufacturing. Hear Health Canada’s insights on how to align your processes with regulatory priorities and maintain uninterrupted market access. Source practical tips to help you:
- Achieve compliance with Health Canada GMP expectations and understand alignment with FDA and EMA global guidelines
- Improve inspection readiness with tips from latest inspection trends, common findings, and enforcement actions
- Manage compliance across CMOs and global suppliers whilst safeguarding product quality
Apply GMP evolution principles to protect patient safety and ensure continuous market access
9:30 am
PANEL DISCUSSION
BUILD A RESILIENT MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY TO OVERCOME AND PREVENT DRUG SUPPLY SHORTAGES
Drug shortages remain a critical issue in Canada, especially for injectables, sterile products, and essential medicines. Optimize your strategy and processes to ensure a robust and consistent product supply. Master success factors to:
- Identify and prioritize commercial supply risk
- Strengthen manufacturing resilience across sites and CDMOs/CMOs
- Build an agile supply chain designed to counteract disruption
- Work with regulators to prevent and mitigate shortages
Create a strong manufacturing and supply chain strategy to prevent delays and maintain a consistent supply of your product to market.
10:00 am
INDUSTRY EXPERT
HARNESS DIGITAL TWIN TECHNOLOGY TO OPTIMIZE YOUR MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS AND COSTS
Digital twins are transforming manufacturing and supply chains by enabling smarter operations, preventing disruptions, and ensuring compliance at a commercial scale. Take away best practices to:
- Apply digital twin strategies in commercial manufacturing and supply chain operations
- Benefit from predictive maintenance and operational efficiency
- Model supply chains to enhance risk mitigation and decision-making
- Leverage measurable outcomes and lessons learned from real-world applications
Use digital twin technology to streamline manufacturing, enhance supply chain resilience, and reduce operational costs.
10:30 am
SPEED NETWORKING! MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS
Grow your network by meeting like-minded individuals to share your latest ideas and projects with:
- Enjoy a quick icebreaker, exchange LinkedIn information and build lasting business relationships
- Achieve your conference networking goals in a fun and agile fashion
Join a community of pharma manufacturing and supply chain experts and gain invaluable support
11:00 am
EXHIBITOR LOUNGE: VISIT BOOTHS & SOURCE EXPERTISE
- Explore the latest pharma manufacturing and supply chain products, services and strategies with our industry leading sponsors
- Share your challenges with the biggest innovators in the business
- Schedule one-to-one private meetings for personalized advice
11:30 am
PRESENTATION
CONTROL COSTS AND PROTECT MARGINS IN COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS: END-TO-END PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION
Rising input costs, domestic manufacturing investments, and supply chain complexity are placing pressure on commercial margins. Implement end-to-end performance optimization strategies to improve financial control across manufacturing and supply operations. Adopt practical processes to:
- Identify cost drivers across manufacturing, inventory, and distribution networks
- Optimize production planning and network configuration to improve cost efficiency
- Improve cross-functional financial visibility to support better decision-making
- Leverage advanced analytics to reduce waste and improve operational margins
Strengthen financial performance across commercial manufacturing and supply to protect margins while maintaining service and compliance.
11:30 am
FIRESIDE CHAT
SCALE BIOLOGICS AND ADVANCED THERAPIES TO MAXIMIZE MANUFACTURING EFFICIENCY AND MARKET PROFITABILITY
As biologics and advanced therapies transition into sustained commercial supply, manufacturing leaders must industrialize processes, embed quality into operations, and ensure long-term performance across growing product portfolios.
Create a commercial roadmap to:
- Lead late-stage tech transfer and industrialize processes for reliable commercial manufacturing
- Embed GMP compliance and inspection readiness into routine operations
- Drive operational excellence to improve yield, throughput, and cost of goods
- Build scalable and resilient manufacturing capabilities to support launch, growth, and lifecycle demands
Optimize manufacturing and secure compliance to drive the production efficiency and long-term commercial success of biologics and advanced therapies
12:00 pm
INDUSTRY EXPERT
COLD CHAIN & SPECIALTY LOGISTICS STRATEGY: ENSURE SAFE, COMPLIANT, AND RELIABLE DELIVERY OF TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE PRODUCTS
Temperature-sensitive biologics and specialty therapies face unique challenges in global supply chains, from maintaining cold conditions to complying with regulations. Optimize cold chain operations to reduce risk and ensure reliable delivery of critical therapies. Take away solutions to:
- Manage temperature-sensitive biologics and specialty therapies throughout commercial supply chains
- Reduce risk and variability in global transportation lanes
- Implement effective monitoring, documentation, and compliance strategies
- Apply lessons learned from real-world cold chain logistics operations
Enhance reliability, maintain regulatory compliance, and protect patient safety through robust cold chain and specialty logistics strategies.
12:00 pm
INDUSTRY EXPERT
ADVANCED & CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURING ADOPTION: OVERCOME OPERATIONAL & REGULATORY CHALLENGES TO ENABLE COMMERCIAL SCALE-UP AND RELIABLE MANUFACTURING
The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly adopting advanced and continuous manufacturing technologies to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and meet evolving regulatory expectations. Implementing these technologies at commercial scale requires overcoming technical, operational, and regulatory challenges while maintaining reliable supply. Take away best practices to:
- Overcome adoption barriers and align advanced manufacturing approaches with regulatory expectations
- Design modular, flexible facilities that support multiple products and technology platforms
- Accelerate commercial-scale tech transfer and scale-up while maintaining operational reliability
- Apply lessons from real-world case studies to address operational and technical challenges
Drive operational efficiency, regulatory readiness, and scalable commercial manufacturing through innovative advanced and continuous manufacturing strategies.
12:30 pm
NETWORKING LUNCH: DELVE INTO INDUSTRY CONVERSATIONS
- Meet interesting speakers and pick their brains on the latest industry issues
- Expand your network and make connections that last beyond the conference
- Enjoy great food and service while engaging with your pharma manufacturing and supply chain colleagues
1:00 pm
EXHIBITOR LOUNGE: VISIT BOOTHS & WIN PRIZES
- Browse sponsor booths and explore solutions designed to enhance commercial manufacturing and supply performance
- Enter your name for a chance to win exciting prizes
- Take advantage of event-specific offers and special content
1:45 pm
PRESENTATION
CREATE STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE ACCURACY, SERVICE LEVELS, AND CROSS-FUNCTIONAL DECISION-MAKING: DEMAND FORECASTING & INTEGRATED S&OP ALIGNMENT
Commercial supply chains rely on accurate demand forecasts and effective S&OP processes to ensure product availability, reduce waste, and optimize operations. Achieving alignment across commercial, manufacturing, and supply functions requires clear governance, collaborative processes, and actionable metrics. Take away actionable insights to:
- Align commercial forecasts with manufacturing, supply, and inventory planning across functions
- Improve forecast accuracy and service levels through collaborative S&OP processes
- Implement governance models that strengthen cross-functional decision-making and accountability
- Learn from real-world examples and lessons across Pharma, biotech, and vendor perspectives
Strengthen operational alignment across teams to enhance supply reliability, reduce inefficiencies, and support informed commercial decision-making.
1:45 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION
APPLY DIGITAL AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES TO DRIVE EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY
Manufacturing scales and regulatory expectations are increasing, rendering digital and advanced manufacturing technologies essential to maintain efficiency, quality, and compliance. Implement tools and technologies to improve your performance. Develop solutions to:
- Consider existing and emerging technologies and future priorities to drive efficiency, quality, and innovation
- Scale digital and advanced manufacturing from pilot projects to commercial operations, hearing successes and lessons learned
- Ensure GMP compliance while integrating automation, AI, and digital tools
- Manage operational changes and workforce readiness to effectively adopt new manufacturing technologies
Integrate innovative manufacturing technologies to streamline manufacturing and elevate product quality.
2:15 pm
INDUSTRY EXPERT
DIGITAL PLANTS, AUTOMATION & INDUSTRY 4.0 IN PRACTICE: SCALE SMART MANUFACTURING FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND SUPPLY RELIABILITY
The industry is increasingly adopting digital plants, automation, and Industry 4.0 strategies to improve efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance supply reliability. Scaling these technologies beyond pilot projects requires integrating systems, managing operational change, and demonstrating measurable business impact. Take away actionable insights to:
- Scale automation from pilot projects to full commercial operations, highlighting lessons learned from real-world implementations
- Integrate MES, ERP, and plant-level systems to enable connected manufacturing and improved operational visibility
- Measure and demonstrate ROI from smart factory initiatives and digital transformation projects
- Apply case-study insights to overcome operational and technical challenges in adopting Industry 4.0 solutions
Drive smarter, more connected manufacturing operations, improve decision-making, and ensure reliable supply through digital and automated solutions.
2:15 pm
INDUSTRY EXPERT
ENSURE RELIABLE COMMERCIAL SUPPLY THROUGH PROACTIVE RISK MITIGATION: SUPPLY CHAIN RISK MANAGEMENT & CONTINGENCY PLANNING
Global supply chains for pharmaceuticals face constant risks from transportation disruptions and supplier delays to regulatory changes and temperature-sensitive product handling. Vendors can provide expertise and real-world solutions to help companies anticipate, mitigate, and manage these challenges. Improve strategies to:
- Identify high-risk points in the supply chain and implement proactive mitigation strategies
- Develop contingency plans for global distribution, sourcing, and inventory management
- Apply lessons from vendor-enabled solutions to maintain continuity and operational resilience
Ensure reliable supply, reduce operational disruptions, and build resilient supply chains through actionable, vendor-led strategies.
2:45 pm
CASE STUDY
STRENGTHEN EXTERNAL MANUFACTURING PARTNERSHIPS FOR COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE
As outsourcing models expand across therapeutic areas, manufacturing leaders must ensure external partners consistently deliver quality, scale, and supply reliability in the commercial phase. Walk away with actionable strategies to:
- Lead commercial tech transfer and lifecycle management with external manufacturing partners
- Strengthen quality oversight and ensure inspection readiness across outsourced operations
- Drive performance, transparency, and accountability in long-term manufacturing partnerships
- Build resilient external manufacturing strategies to support growth, capacity demands, and supply continuity
Ensure external manufacturing networks operate as seamless extensions of your commercial operations.
2:45 pm
CASE STUDY
ENHANCE SERIALIZATION AND TRACEABILITY TO SAFEGUARD PRODUCT INTEGRITY AND COMBAT COUNTERFEITING IN GLOBAL MARKETS
The pharmaceutical industry faces rising counterfeit threats, with regulations mandating serialization and traceability to ensure medicine integrity. Implement effective serialization and traceability systems to protect your brand from counterfeiting while ensuring patient safety. Source practical tips to:
- Comprehend global serialization regulations with a focus on Health Canada, FDA, and EU requirements
- Review advanced technologies for track-and-trace, including blockchain, RFID, and unique identifiers to prevent counterfeiting
- Integrate serialization into the supply chain, ensuring compliance, and mitigating potential disruptions
- Address the challenges and benefits of maintaining product integrity and securing patient safety through enhanced traceability
Navigate serialization regulations to enhance traceability and safeguard your products from counterfeit risks across global markets.
3:15 pm
EXHIBITOR LOUNGE: ATTEND VENDOR DEMOS & CONSULT INDUSTRY EXPERTS
- Enjoy exclusive sponsor demos and experience the next level of pharma manufacturing and supply chain innovation firsthand
- Meet one-on-one with leading solution providers to discuss organizational hurdles
- Brainstorm solutions and gain new perspectives and ideas
3:45 pm
INDUSTRY EXPERT
OPTIMIZE OUTSOURCING, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURING PERFORMANCE: CDMO/CMO STRATEGY & DECISION MAKING
At the commercial stage, manufacturing leaders must decide which processes and capabilities to retain internally versus outsource to CDMOs/CMOs. These decisions impact scalability, operational efficiency, compliance, and long-term supply reliability. Master techniques to:
- Evaluate strategic outsourcing versus internal capability retention for commercial manufacturing operations
- Establish governance and performance oversight models to manage CDMO/CMO partnerships effectively
- Implement risk-sharing and long-term partnership structures that support reliable and scalable supply
- Apply lessons from real-world vendor collaborations to optimize manufacturing strategy
Strengthen commercial manufacturing decision-making by aligning make-vs-buy strategy with operational performance, regulatory compliance, and reliable supply.
3:45 pm
INDUSTRY EXPERT
LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE EFFICIENCY, PREDICTABILITY, AND DECISION-MAKING: SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY & DATA-DRIVEN OPERATIONS
Modern supply chains require end-to-end visibility and real-time insights to optimize inventory, prevent disruptions, and enhance operational efficiency. Vendors can share case studies and strategies showing how technology and analytics transform supply chain performance. Adopt strategies to:
- Integrate data across sites, suppliers, and distributors for complete operational visibility
- Use predictive analytics to anticipate disruptions and optimize inventory management
- Leverage vendor-enabled tools and case studies to improve operational performance and service levels
Enable smarter, more connected supply chains with technology-driven insights that reduce risk and enhance operational efficiency.
4:15 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION
ALIGNING MANUFACTURING, SUPPLY CHAIN & QUALITY FOR SEAMLESS COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS
The pharmaceutical industry faces increasing complexity as manufacturing, supply chain, and quality teams often operate in silos, creating operational inefficiencies and increasing risks to supply continuity. Align cross-functional teams to break down silos, improve operational performance, and ensure reliable commercial supply. Take away best practices to:
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- Improve communication and decision-making across manufacturing, supply chain, and quality
- Coordinate commercial tech transfer, product lifecycle activities, and operational changes
- Strengthen performance, compliance, and supply continuity with internal and external partners
- Use data and KPIs to monitor and optimize cross-functional operations
Drive cross-functional collaboration to optimize operational efficiency, compliance and supply reliability.
4:45 pm
CLOSING KEYNOTE
BUILD A DIGITAL-BASED RELATIONSHIP TO PREPARE MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY TEAMS INTO INDUSTRY 4.0
Digital transformation is not only about replacing old technologies with new ones, capturing high volumes of data, hiring an army of data scientists, or trying to copy some of the things Google or Amazon do. The essence of digital transformation is to become a data-driven organization, ensuring that key decisions, actions, and processes are strongly influenced by data-driven insights, rather than by human intuition. You will only transform when you have managed to change how people behave and how things are done in your organization. But the proper relationship is vital to the Supply Network. Take away examples from Bayer’s case study:
- Assessing our digital upskilling strategy: where we started and where we are now
- Developing new skills and bringing our CMO on board.
- The importance of the Humanized Technology and key relationship concepts useb by Bayer.
- Sharing success stories within the operations management team
Recognize that digital transformation is about the people, not only the technology!
5:15 pm
CLOSING COMMENTS FROM YOUR HOST
Review the key solutions and takeaways from today’s sessions. Source a summary of action points to implement in your work. Discuss tomorrow’s highlights!
5:20 pm
EVENING RECEPTION: ENJOY GREAT CONVERSATION, MUSIC & NETWORKING
- Relax and unwind with tasty cocktails after a long day of learning
- Don’t miss your chance to win fun prizes at our Reception Gift Giveaway
- Make dinner plans with your new connections and explore the best of what Toronto nightlife has to offer. Just be sure to set your alarm for Day 2!
6:15 pm