International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Annual Meeting & Expo 2019

Las Vegas is a city that has something to suit anyone’s tastes, from high rolling executives to low-key vacationers. You can sample just about any cuisine from top chefs and gigantic buffets, try your luck at one of the world’s premiere casinos, or even take in an amazing show or two. Just walking around the Las Vegas strip at night is enough to get your heart racing with excitement! Once you’ve had enough of the hyped-up activities, check out the mesmerizing sea life at the Mandalay Bay, hike some of the Red Rock Canyon, or even visit the Neon Museum, where old signs take on a new life and a unique art form. In the middle of all the hustle-and- bustle will also be a great conference in October to attend, the 2019 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo.    

The 2019 International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Annual Meeting & Expo will be held in Las Vegas on October 27th - 30th at the famous Caesar’s Palace Casino Hotel & Casino. This year’s event will focus on modernization, globalization, and transformation in pharmaceutical development and worldwide manufacturing, offering professionals the opportunity to engage in quality-driven conversations about highly relevant topics. This annual event draws pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical professionals from all levels of the industry from young scientists to the most senior executives in drug manufacturing, supply chain, devices equipment and services, and even global regulatory agencies.  

ISPE is the world's largest not-for-profit association serving the industry by leading scientific, technical and regulatory advancement throughout the entire pharmaceutical lifecycle. ISPE was founded in 1980 by a small group of people who believed the pharma industry needed an organization that would discuss with the practical applications of science and technology for technical professionals. The much-needed forum provided by ISPE began with a membership of engineers in North America. After almost 30 years, the ISPE community has expanded beyond engineering to include a broad representation from pharmaceutical professionals, such as engineers, microbiologists, chemists, QA/QC, production, process development, pharmacists, regulatory and training personnel, academia, suppliers, and even other industry professionals. 

For such large scale events, it can quickly become overwhelming for a team of company attendees, particularly if limited in size. With so much potential ground to cover, making the most of your time and investment is key, so we’ve put a few tips together for planning out your time in Las Vegas: 

Know the area and activities 

As famous as Las Vegas itself, Caesars Palace is one of the best known casino resorts in the world. What began as a grand casino honoring the indulgent luxuries of ancient Rome has evolved into something worth seeing with your own eyes. Many people don’t know this about the casino but their conference venue and meeting facilities are equally as stunning. The magnificence of Caesars Palace extends seamlessly into its stunning meeting facilities. With over 300,000 square feet of meeting space, the conference venue is comfortably set apart from the casino area, yet remains within easy reach of your attendees. The pillarless Octavius and Forum Ballrooms can each accommodate as many as 5,555 guests, with the Palace Ballroom serving as an expansive pre-function area, and the Augustus Ballroom is a superb setting for special events. There’s even a 4,100-seat Colosseum with one of the world’s largest LED screens, and the 4.5-acre Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis for grandiose special occasions. Keeping all of the surroundings in mind, we believe that you and your team will surely enjoy your time at ISPE 2019!    

This event has so many different activities it will be difficult to keep track of everything without the proper planning before the conference.  The main focus of ISPE 2019 are the 6 educational tracks covering Facilities & Equipment, Information Systems, Quality Systems & Regulatory, Innovation Forum, Supply Chain, Operations & Packaging, and finally Process Development & Manufacturing. Other key features of the event will be the 50+ plenary and technical sessions, plus training seminars, short courses, a multitude of exhibitors and a huge list of special networking functions. Your team will have the ability to choose from the programs, or tracks, and tailor your experience around a particular area of research, creating a very efficient and effective conference for all teams. For more details visit the conference’s full agenda for a complete list of all the activities taking place during the event.

After the main conference event and expo, take a deeper dive into critical areas of pharmaceutical manufacturing with 2 full days of in-depth classroom training courses on October 31st – November 1st. There will be seven featured instructors from consultancy and upper executive management positions covering multiple areas of establishing a solid GxP foundation, applying GAMP risk-based approaches, and other compliance measures at your facility. 

There are a ton of features that you will have access to during the 4-day event, including:

• 6 extensive education tracks covering the entire drug development pipeline

• 85+ hours of targeted technical sessions, from industry and regulatory leaders

• Networking opportunities, including 50+ plenary and technical Sessions

• 200+ exhibitors featuring the latest technologies and services

• ISPE Discovery Stage showcasing cutting-edge modernization in pharma

• 2 days of in-depth classroom training courses on October 31st – November 1st

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On a side note, if you are looking for a great breakfast spot, be sure to visit Cravings on the casino floor of The Mirage!

Identify the right companies to meet

The 2019 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo will feature an extensive exhibit hall with more than 300 companies offering advanced technologies and services that will help teams solve your most challenging problems at their facilities. There will be dozens of ways to interact and engage with other companies and solution providers at ISPE 2019. In addition to visiting exhibit booths and scheduling meetings, you will also be able to attend multiple instructional functions from the various educational tracks, including extended training courses after the main event. In order to plan ahead we think it’s important to view the full list of exhibitors prior to arriving in order to make the best use of your time.  

Another great way to prepare for your trek through the exhibit area is to check out the Interactive Floor Plan to find specific companies that you’re interested in speaking with and lay out your plans for navigating the show. The interactive map is a great tool for anyone interested in making the most of their time at the ISPE 2019.  

Find out who’s going

At ISPE 2019 there will be plenty of opportunities to learn from some of the best minds in the industry, interact with other companies on a personal level, and converse with fellow colleagues at special networking events throughout the entire conference. ISPE 2019 has created an excellent platform to raise your level of technical knowledge through peer-reviewed educational content from recognized experts in the field, expand your professional network throughout the conference in educational sessions, and enhance your individual and company’s recognition among industry colleagues through face-to-face interaction. There will be all types of professionals at all levels of the industry attending from young scientists to senior executives attending the show, including special interest groups, pharmaceutical industry equipment and services suppliers, and regulatory groups. 

One of the best ways to find out who’s going to ISPE 2019 will actually happen before you arrive in Las Vegas! After registering your team, you will gain access to the ISPE Events App, where you can build your agenda, find your way around, interact with the speakers during their presentations and network with other attendees. To login, enter your registration email and your badge ID number. You can easily download the app on either Google Play or the Apple App Store. You can alternatively check out the My Show Planner feature, which combines planning and logistics into one easy-to-use tool. Find exhibitors, sort by location and add personal appointments to make the most of your visit. 

Besides the ISPE Event App, there are many other networking and social functions to partake during your visit. This exciting program offers a weekend of networking, collaboration, education, and innovation. By navigating to the ISPE conference website, you can view the full list of special networking and social events throughout the show. 

Footwear and attire  

Vegas is more of a marathon than a sprint, so this point is really worth mentioning. Since exploring the ISPE 2019 event can be such a lengthy task, please make sure to wear your most comfortable footwear and attire in order to stay cool during the activities and programs! You’ll want to be at peak endurance during this 4-day event, so be sure to drink plenty of water, and don’t miss out on any important exhibits, sessions, and most of all, meetings!

Meet up with Zymewire

While we may not be attending ISPE 2019 this year, we’d still like to hear from you! Let us know about your experiences, and how your company preps for events to maximize ROI. If you would like to learn more about how teams at service providers around the world are getting more face to face meetings with the right prospects, reach out for a demo today!