APC & VLE Therapeutics Launch the Irish Pharma Forum to Support the Next Phase of Irish Pharma Leadership

Ireland’s pharma sector has become one of the most important manufacturing and development hubs in the global life sciences industry. Across the country, Irish sites are supporting increasingly complex portfolios, adopting new technologies, building deeper technical capability, and playing a more strategic role within global networks.

As that role continues to evolve, senior leaders across the sector need space for practical, peer-level exchange. Not another presentation forum. Not another vendor-led event. A setting where leaders can share what is changing, discuss what is working, and explore how Irish pharma sites can continue to strengthen their contribution to global medicines supply.

APC & VLE Therapeutics are launching the Irish Pharma Forum to help create that space.

The Irish Pharma Forum is a new initiative for senior Irish pharma leaders, designed to bring the sector together around shared priorities, emerging challenges, and the opportunities ahead. Convened by APC & VLE Therapeutics, the Forum will support honest discussion, practical benchmarking, and recognition of the people and site-level progress shaping the future of Irish pharma.

Why now

The launch of BPCI’s “Together for Others” strategy has created an important moment for Ireland’s pharma sector. The strategy sets out a shared ambition for the future of biopharma, biochemicals and related life sciences in Ireland, with a focus on competitiveness, innovation, talent, sustainability and continued global leadership.

At the same time, geopolitical headwinds are reshaping global supply chains. Irish-based pharmaceutical operations face both significant pressure and a unique opportunity to strengthen resilience, efficiency and competitiveness.

Irish pharma sites are also being asked to do more. Portfolios are becoming more complex. Technology expectations are rising. Workforce knowledge is becoming increasingly critical. Global networks are looking to Irish sites not only for reliable manufacturing, but for stronger contributions to product, process, technology and manufacturing strategy.

The Irish Pharma Forum has been developed as APC & VLE Therapeutics’ contribution to that wider sector ambition. It is designed to create a practical space for senior leaders to share insight, celebrate success, benchmark change and explore how Irish pharma can continue to strengthen its role in global medicines supply.

What the Forum will include

The initiative will begin with three core elements:

• Peer Roundtables
  Small, senior, invitation-only discussions focused on the issues shaping Irish pharma sites. These sessions will be practical and discussion-led, with no pitches and no presentations for presentation’s sake.

• Benchmark Report
  An annual sector report, with quarterly updates, tracking areas such as technology adoption, workforce trends, portfolio shifts, and changing site responsibilities across Irish pharma.

• Innovation Spotlight
  Peer-nominated recognition of the people, practices, and site-level innovations helping Irish pharma sites lead, adapt, and deliver at a global level.

Together, these activities are intended to create a clearer view of how the sector is evolving and where collective insight can help Irish sites move with greater confidence.

Initial discussion themes

The first phase of the Irish Pharma Forum will focus on themes that are already shaping the next chapter of Irish pharma, including:

• Building the case for Ireland as a global strategic hub
  How Irish sites can continue to demonstrate value to global headquarters and expand their role beyond execution.

• Managing technology and portfolio complexity
  How sites are adapting to more complex molecules, processes, platforms, and digital expectations.

• Protecting workforce knowledge and technical capability
  How leaders are developing, retaining, and transferring the expertise needed to support long-term performance.

• Evolving from manufacturing sites to full-service strategic sites
  How Irish operations can contribute more directly to development, technical strategy, lifecycle management, and global supply resilience.

APC & VLE’s role

APC & VLE Therapeutics will act as convenors and contributors to the Forum, bringing experience across process science, development, GMP manufacturing, digital CMC, and manufacturing readiness.

As Paul McCabe, Group COO of APC & VLE Therapeutics, explains:

“The Irish Pharma Forum is about creating space for honest, practical exchange between leaders, and helping strengthen the strategic role Irish sites play within global pharma.”

The intention is not to create another sales channel. It is to support a stronger, more connected Irish pharma sector by helping leaders share insight, understand change, and recognize the capability already being built across Ireland.

Supporting a stronger, more connected Irish pharma sector

The Irish Pharma Forum reflects a belief at the heart of BPCI’s “Together for Others” strategy: Ireland’s pharma sector is strongest when companies, sites and leaders are connected around shared challenges and a shared ambition.

By bringing senior leaders together through peer roundtables, sector benchmarking and innovation recognition, the Forum will help showcase the capability already being built across Ireland and support the next phase of Irish pharma leadership.

Starting September 2026

The first Irish Pharma Forum roundtable series will begin in September 2026 with a small group of senior Irish pharma leaders.

Further updates on the Benchmark Report and Innovation Spotlight will follow as the initiative develops.

Senior leaders interested in contributing to the conversation are invited to connect with APC or VLE Therapeutics.