ISPE Awards Winners of Facility of the Year

The International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) has announced the 2026 ISPE Facility of the Year (FOYA) Category Winners at the 2026 ISPE Europe Annual Conference. The FOYA program recognizes excellence in innovation, operations, supply chain, Pharma 4.0, and social impact by taking into account the way facilities are designed, delivered, and operated.¹ The ISPE FOYA program was established in 2005 to recognized state-of-the-art facilities that incorporate innovative technologies.

Companies were noticed for their modular and digital manufacturing approaches, sustainability-focused infrastructure, accelerated project execution, and integrated quality and supply strategies. The way the companies used engineering solutions, advanced technologies, and cross-functional collaboration to address regulatory, operational, and societal requirements was also taken into consideration when deciding on winners of each category.

"This year's FOYA Category Winners illustrate how pharmaceutical manufacturing is evolving to meet some of the industry's most complex challenges," said Parag Sane, AVP, Global Capital Projects, Amgen, and FOYA Judging Chair, in a press release.¹ "These projects reflect bold thinking, disciplined execution, and a strong commitment to agility, sustainability, and patient-focused outcomes. Together, they set new benchmarks for excellence in regulated manufacturing and exemplify the purpose of the FOYA program—to recognize engineering achievements that advance our industry and benefit patients worldwide."

Who Are the Winners of the ISPE Facility of the Year Awards?

The following are the winners of the 2026 FOYA Awards:

• 2026 Category Winner – Innovation – Novel Technology
  Hepalink Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.
  Project Name: Shenzhen Hepalink Pingshan New Pre-filled Syringe Manufacturing Facility
  Location: Shenzhen, China
• 2026 Category Winner – Innovation – Facility of the Future
  Sanofi S.A.
  Project Name: Modulus
  Location: Neuville-sur-Saône, France and Tuas, Singapore
• 2026 Category Winner – Operations – Operational Excellence
  Bayer AG
  Project Name: SOLIDA-1
  Location: Leverkusen, Germany
• 2026 Category Winner – Operations – Project Execution
  Eli Lilly and Company
  Project Name: Lilly Concord
  Location: Concord, North Carolina, USA
• 2026 Category Winner – Supply Chain
  BSP Pharmaceuticals SpA
  Project Name: An integrated state-of-the-art site for antibody-drug conjugates, drug substance, and drug product, from investigational new drug to commercial supply
  Location: Latina, Italy
• 2026 Category Winner – Pharma 4.0™
  Bayer AG
  Project Name: SOLIDA-1
  Location: Leverkusen, Germany
• 2026 Category Winner – Social Impact – Unmet Medical Needs
  AstraZeneca
  Project Name: Commercial Cell Therapy Facility
  Location: Rockville, Maryland, USA
• 2026 Category Winner – Social Impact – Sustainability Efforts
  Takeda
  Project Name: AHEAD (Advanced Heat Pump Demonstrator)
  Location: Vienna, Austria
• 2026 Category Winner – Honorable Mention
  Chugai Pharma Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
  Project Name: FJ3 Project
  Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka, Japan
• 2026 Category Winner – Honorable Mention
  FUJIFILM Biotechnologies
  Project Name: Galaxy Project
  Location: Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA

ISPE will formally recognize the winners and announce the overall winner at the 2026 FOYA Banquet and Awards Celebration, which will take place during the 2026 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo in Washington, D.C., USA, in October.

Why Are Innovative Facilities Important?

In an interview with PharmTech, Ranjit Deshmukh, founder of BiologixCMC, spoke about the importance of contract manufacturers staying on top of industry trends when it comes to facility design. According to Deshmukh, a facility must remain adaptive to future requirements, and he advises contractors to stay abreast of industry trends and regulatory shifts, as well as surveying stakeholders to anticipate needs.

Visit PharmTech.com to watch the full interview.

References

1. ISPE announces 2026 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Category Winners. Press Release. April 21, 2026. ISPE.org
2. Deshmukh R. Facility design for optimized contract manufacturing. PharmTech.com. April 20, 2026. https://www.pharmtech.com/view/facility-design-for-optimized-contract-manufacturing