Can you give an overview of the Valpharma Group and the synergies between the companies within the group?

Valpharma was founded over 40 years ago by my father, Roberto Valducci. The company became a group in 2019, made up of three companies: Valpharma SpA, Valpharma International SpA, and Erba Vita Group SpA. The Group takes care of the health and well-being of people in more than 70 countries around the world, proposing innovative formulations, as the result of research and development in our own laboratories. Valpharma consolidates the 40-year experience and knowledge gained by the three companies, offering contract manufacturing of both classic pharmaceutical products and nutraceuticals or naturally derived products (phytotherapy).

Can you elaborate on Valpharma’s unique capabilities in both pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals?

Valpharma SpA and Valpharma International SpA are leaders in pharmaceutical development and contract manufacturing. We specialize in solid oral dosage medicines and nutraceuticals, both developed with modified-release technologies, which is a niche in the pharmaceutical market. We utilize innovative pharmaceutical technologies in our two production plants for the optimal development of tablets, powders, granulates, film-coated tablets, microspheres/pallets. We offer products either in bulk or dosed format in hard gelatine capsules. We aim to always innovate and since 2020, we have expanded our production capabilities to include medical devices, hand sanitizers, and complementary feeds for the veterinary field.

Can you give insight into Valpharma’s investment into R&D, innovation and digital transformation, and give examples of some of the company’s innovative products?

Valpharma invests 10% of our annual revenue into technological innovation to maintain a high production standard and to guarantee the highest quality products for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food supplement, and cosmetics fields. We have a large R&D department which focuses on innovation and developing new technologies and products. Our latest nutraceutical products have been built on the knowledge developed by our technicians in the pharmaceutical field, particularly in the area of modified release, providing added value to consumers.   

With the implementation of Data Integrity regulations, all Valpharma’s equipment in both the manufacturing and quality control areas is now managed through advanced digital systems. Quality control is of paramount importance to Valpharma and our manufacturing recipes are compiled and authorized by internal quality control systems and data is shared between operators and supervisors in a controlled and secure flow. All data captured forms part of the electronic batch record of a product. The onset of the pandemic brought about many challenges and changes, especially in the interaction between people. To mitigate challenges, Valpharma, in collaboration with other pharmaceutical companies, had to rethink the way we do audit inspections.

We took the path of remote inspections to evaluate the qualification of vendors in a way that satisfies the regulatory authorities. Despite the bigger effort that remote inspections require, these audits give huge opportunities to every pharmaceutical company that integrates the project in its process of vendors’ qualifications.

What are the markets of most strategic importance to Valpharma?

Through years of evolution and growth, Valpharma today spreads its knowledge and expertise globally, across five continents and in over 70 countries. We pride ourselves on our international footprint and being close to our customers to meet their needs. Currently, Brazil, Japan and Europe are the most important commercial markets for us. We already serve the Russian market through partners, but we want to establish a physical presence in the country to take advantage of the growth opportunities it holds. We also aim to expand into the ever-growing US market down the line.

What are some of the main trends in the Italian CMO market and how can this industry competitively serve global customers?

Italian pharmaceutical companies are well regulated by AIFA and have very high standards in terms of GMP management and quality control. The “Made in Italy” brand is an added value and stands for qualities such as creativity, innovation, and originality.  

What are Valpharma’s strategy and objectives for the next three years?

Valpharma has a strong focus on R&D and innovation to bring the best products and value to the market. Technologies are rapidly changing in the pharmaceutical field; monoclonal antibodies and vaccines are now taking the place of classic solid oral products that have dominated the market over the past years. Our main objective is to remain at the forefront of innovation, always putting our R&D at the center whilst collaborating with external specialized companies all over the world.