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One of the clearest messages emerging from Pharmapack Europe 2026 is that packaging has become inseparable from the therapeutic product. What was once viewed as a downstream operational constraint is now integral to the design of injectable therapies, particularly biopharmaceuticals. As drug pipelines grow increasingly complex - delivery systems and packaging formats are shaping development strategies, usability requirements and realworld performance expectations.

Injectable therapies are becoming more sophisticated, pushing development teams to recognise delivery systems as a decisive factor for programme success. The rise of biopharmaceuticals has intensified this pressure, driving demand for specialist parenteral formats such as pre-filled syringes, cartridges and auto-injectors, where formulation sensitivity, material compatibility and user interaction must be addressed holistically.

At Pharmapack, several speakers highlighted ongoing latestage challenges related to delivery devices. Industry benchmarks presented at the Paris-based conference show that around 20–25% of regulatory submission delays for injectable medicines are caused by packaging or devicerelated issues - from extractables and leachables to usability failures discovered late in development. For companies facing intense timetomarket and cost pressures, this level of downstream risk is increasingly sustainable.

In response, manufacturers are shifting from bespoke device assemblies to validated platformbased pre-filled systems. Data shared by West Pharmaceutical Services showed that such platforms can shorten development timelines by six to 12 months by moving validation, compatibility and performance testing upstream. Conference benchmarking further suggested that platform approaches can reduce technical risk by 30–40% compared with custom configurations, fundamentally reshaping the economics of injectable drug development.

A second structural shift evident at Pharmapack Europe 2026 was the clear industrialisation of connected delivery devices. The connected drug delivery devices market is expanding rapidly: global market research shows that sales of connected devices reached approximately USD 7.48 billion in 2024 and are projected to exceed USD 21.8 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 24% as demand rises in long-term disease management and remote care.

The economic rationale for connected delivery is compelling. Poor patient compliance contributes to significant clinical and financial burdens worldwide, and connected systems can offer automated reminders, usage tracking and remote monitoring to improve outcomes. At the conference, Deloitte figures quoted indicated that connected solutions in long-term disease management could reduce total cost of care by 15–20%, primarily through improved adherence and earlier clinical intervention.

Speakers emphasised that scalability demands discipline: “Data must be clinically meaningful, captured under validated conditions and managed in compliance with GxP and privacy requirements”, said Serkan Oray of UCB, alongside Marcus Bates of Aptar Digital Health.

UCB illustrated this with CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol) and its Ava Connect electromechanical addon, which captures administration data and supports patient compliance without altering the primary container.

Aptar Digital Health showcased endtoend connected delivery ecosystems, combining devices, mobile applications and analytics deployed across respiratory, immunology and neurology therapies. These initiatives signal that connected delivery has moved into an industrial phase where scalability, data integrity and clinical relevance are as important as connectivity itself.

The third structural pillar at Pharmapack Europe 2026 concerned data, traceability and secure connectivity. Over the past decade, the pharmaceutical industry has invested heavily in serialisation infrastructure to meet verification requirements. According to the European Commission, implementing the EU Falsified Medicines Directive required several billion euros across manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacies between 2016 and 2023, reshaping packaging and line architecture.

Domino Printing Sciences reported that more than 90% of prescription packs in the EU now carry a 2D Data Matrix code originally deployed for serialisation and verification. Bart Vansteenkiste, global key account manager for life sciences at Domino, explained these codes can “support clearer supply chain visibility and more accurate data capture, and also improve patient safety by ensuring the right unit and the right dose for the right patient, and enable efficient verification of administration”, extending their role beyond regulatory compliance.

Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical supply chain has evolved into a complex ecosystem involving manufacturers, logistics providers, healthcare professionals and patients. STMicroelectronics confirmed that secure NFC components now add less than €0.20 per unit at industrial scale, embedding asymmetric cryptography compatible with blockchain infrastructures. Philippe Horcholle, technical marketing manager for NFC in Europe at STMicroelectronics, noted: “This is no longer experimental. These components are already available for industrial deployment”.

This industrial shift is also reshaping primary packaging materials themselves. At Pharmapack Europe 2026, SGD Pharma highlighted a new generation of high-performance glass solutions, including SEALIAN and IDENCY, designed to enhance drug integrity, patient safety and operational efficiency. By combining advanced surface treatments, high chemical and mechanical resistance and seamless compatibility with existing filling lines, these solutions illustrate how primary containers are evolving from passive components into critical enablers of injectable drug performance and industrial scalability.

AIassisted systems represent the latest evolution in connected delivery. Innovators have developed addons that use machine learning trained on thousands of injection events to detect errors in real time—incorrect angle, incomplete dose or premature device removal. At Pharmapack, AI was framed not as experimental but as a validated tool for usability and adherence.

Giacomo Bruno, digital health platform lead at Gerresheimer, said: “The Inbeneo auto-injector with its AIpowered connected addon improves patient compliance with selfinjection, providing realtime guidance, detecting injection events automatically and uploading compliance data”. The addon also engages patients via familiar messaging platforms, eliminating the need for separate apps. Preliminary studies and patient surveys (n=250) demonstrated strong acceptance and ease of use, highlighting the potential to reduce patient uncertainty and enhance confidence in therapy management.

Pharmapack Europe 2026 confirmed that pharmaceutical packaging has evolved from a supporting role into a strategic driver of drug development, patient engagement and real-world outcomes.

Smart pre-filled platforms, connected delivery devices and AI-enabled systems are now central to development timelines, regulatory readiness and therapy performance.“Technology is becoming increasingly integrated with packaging, particularly as solutions move toward greater patient involvement, signal transmission and data sharing”, said Dr. Pascale Gauthier, member of the Pharmapack advisory board. For the global industry, packaging has become a digital asset which shapes innovation, competitive differentiation and long-term value.