ISPE Announces 2026 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Category Winners

FOYA Judges name eight category winners plus two honorable mentions at the 2026 ISPE Europe Annual Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) has announced the 2026 ISPE FOYA Category Winners at the 2026 ISPE Europe Annual Conference.

The FOYA program recognizes pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing projects that demonstrate excellence across innovation, operations, supply chain, Pharma 4.0™, and social impact. This year's winners span multiple continents and therapeutic areas and reflect meaningful advances in how facilities are designed, delivered, and operated—highlighting modular and digital manufacturing approaches, sustainability-focused infrastructure, accelerated project execution, and integrated quality and supply strategies. Collectively, the projects reflect the application of engineering solutions, advanced technologies, and cross-functional collaboration to address evolving regulatory, operational, and societal requirements while supporting the delivery of high-quality, reliable, and patient-focused medicines.

"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. "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."

2026 FOYA Category Winners

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

The 2026 FOYA Category Winners will be formally recognized and an overall winner will be announced 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.

Learn more about the FOYA program at ISPE.org/FOYA.

About the ISPE Facility of the Year Awards Program
Established in 2005, the Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) recognize state-of-the-art projects utilizing new, innovative technologies to improve the quality of products, reduce the cost of producing high-quality medicines, and demonstrate advances in project delivery. The FOYA program provides a platform for the pharmaceutical science and manufacturing industry to showcase its accomplishments in facility design, construction, and operation, while sharing the development of new applications of technology and cutting-edge approaches. Visit ISPE.org/FOYA for more information.

About ISPE
The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) is a global nonprofit association serving its members through leading scientific, technical, and regulatory advancement across the entire pharmaceutical lifecycle. The 25,000+ members of ISPE provide solutions to complex pharmaceutical industry challenges through innovation, member and workforce development, and technical, regulatory, and compliance collaborations in more than 120 countries worldwide. Founded in 1980, ISPE has its worldwide headquarters and training center in North Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and its operations center in Tampa, Florida, USA. For more information, visit ISPE.org.

SOURCE ISPE