Celebrating Firsts: The Inaugural UK Pharma Awards

By Sharee Narciso

February 12, 2024

Awards winners celebrate in style

Almost 300 top executives from the UK’s leading pharmaceutical businesses came together in Manchester to celebrate the past year’s innovations and developments at the first-ever UK Pharma Awards.

The Grand Prix was won by Bristol Laboratories, which also won the Covid-19 Crisis Response Award. The highest honour for an individual – the Pharma Industry Leader Award – was presented to Mark Proctor, head of influenza biologics operations and general manager of AstraZeneca’s R&D and operations site in Liverpool.

He said: “I don’t think the industry has ever needed stronger leaders more than it does now, particularly with the rate of change that we’re going to see over the next five to 10 years. We have new modalities which are coming through across a whole range of different technologies. As leaders, we need to be ahead of the curve on all of these. So, I think leadership at the moment is all going to be about learning and about helping us navigate the complexity of what’s going ahead.”

Other big winners included Rosemont Pharmaceuticals, which snapped up the Operational Excellence Award, and Micregen, which won the Innovation of the Year Award.

The gala evening, hosted by broadcaster, comedian, and health commentator Dr Phil Hammond, saw 16 sector awards presented at the Hilton Hotel, Deansgate, on 28 September.

Acknowledging innovation and operational excellence

Barry Sharples, executive chairman of winner Micregen, said the award would help secure future investment. “Micregen is delighted that our novel stem cell secretome platform technology was awarded Innovation of the Year. It’s tremendous validation for our investors to continue supporting our research into prolonging the period of quality active life for all. Thank you,” he said.

David Hachuel, co-founder and COO at finalist Kiwi Biosciences, said being recognised in the shortlist was great. “At Kiwi Biosciences, our mission has always been to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals with digestive disorders. We are honoured to be recognised by the Pharma Industry Awards, as it reaffirms our commitment to rigorous scientific research, the trust of our customers, and the potential for science to transform millions of lives. We are excited about the future and remain steadfast in our development of elegant solutions for extraordinary gut relief,” he said.

For many, the evening highlighted the value the pharma sector brings to the UK. Joe Brennan, managing director of finalist BioPharma Dynamics, said: “The UK is at the forefront of life sciences, leading pioneering research and innovation that has transformed patient lives. It’s inspiring to witness these remarkable advancements, and as a supplier, we’re proud to play a part in this invaluable work.

Looking Ahead: Pharma Industry Awards UK 2024

As anticipation builds for the next Pharma Industry Awards, the focus remains on technological advancements poised to revolutionise the pharmaceutical sector. The event promises to showcase cutting-edge developments, underscoring the role of technology in driving healthcare progress. Stay tuned for more details about the Pharma Industry Awards UK 202, where innovation continues to be celebrated.