Lankan pharmaceutical manufacturers gain global exposure at CPHI Worldwide 2026 in Milan
Daily FT: The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Rome and the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Milan, facilitated an exposure visit for Sri Lankan pharmaceutical manufacturers to the 37th edition of CPHI Worldwide 2026, held last month at Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy.
The programme also included dedicated business networking sessions in Milan for the pharmaceutical sector.
A five-member business delegation representing five Sri Lankan companies participated in the exposure visit to explore opportunities to strengthen the international market presence of Sri Lankan manufacturers.
The participating companies were State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation, Siddhalepa Exports Ltd., Lina Manufacturing Ltd., Vetpharma Biotechnology Ltd., and Aithra Pharmaceuticals Ltd,, representing the pharmaceutical, veterinary, cosmeceutical and natural products sectors. The programme provided an opportunity to gain exposure to international markets, explore potential business partnerships and identify avenues for expanding Sri Lanka’s presence in global markets.
CPHI Worldwide is a major international platform connecting stakeholders across the pharmaceutical value chain, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) suppliers, contract development and manufacturing organisations (CDMOs), packaging providers, and specialist technical service companies. The event provides opportunities to explore emerging market trends, establish business relationships, and identify potential areas for commercial and technical cooperation.
Participation in the event enabled the Sri Lankan delegation to gain exposure to international pharmaceutical industry developments, explore potential export markets, and identify opportunities for collaboration with international industry stakeholders.
The EDB facilitated the exposure visit to provide participating companies with opportunities to observe international industry developments, improve their understanding of global market expectations, and identify potential business and technology partnerships.
In addition to the exhibition visit, the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Milan organised business networking sessions for the Sri Lankan delegation. These sessions provided participants with opportunities to engage with potential buyers, distributors, and other pharmaceutical industry stakeholders, explore prospective export markets, and discuss possible business collaborations.
The exposure visit to CPHI Worldwide 2026 enabled the Sri Lankan delegation to engage with international pharmaceutical companies and specialised service providers, including Barbados Pharmaceutical Inc. (Barbados), Orion GXP Consulting (Ireland), Gruppo Farmalpresa (Italy), Intertek (United Kingdom), Nanopharm (France) and NATAC (Spain), as well as representatives of the Ministry of Health of Tanzania. These engagements provided opportunities to explore potential business partnerships, technical cooperation, pharmaceutical product development, natural ingredients, regulatory requirements and international market development.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is emerging as an attractive investment destination for foreign businesses/investors, as the country steps up efforts to strengthen domestic production, reduce dependence on imported medicines and expand its presence in international markets. The growing focus on pharmaceutical manufacturing, coupled with initiatives to attract foreign investment and develop the wider healthcare sector, is creating business/investment opportunities for international pharmaceutical companies, technology providers and investors. Recent efforts by the EDB to connect local manufacturers with international markets, including an exposure visit to CPHI Worldwide 2026 in Milan, highlight Sri Lanka’s ambitions to develop the industry through international partnerships, technology transfers and export-oriented production. Sri Lanka’s heavy reliance on imported pharmaceuticals creates considerable scope for foreign businesses/investors to establish manufacturing facilities, enter joint ventures with local companies and develop production capabilities for medicines, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), veterinary medicines and other medical products. Business/investment opportunities also extend to contract manufacturing, research and development, quality assurance, pharmaceutical packaging and specialised manufacturing technologies. Partnerships with established international manufacturers could help local producers meet international regulatory standards and access new export markets. The country’s existing pharmaceutical manufacturing base, skilled workforce and developing industrial infrastructure provide a foundation for further industry expansion. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Government’s broader ambition to position Sri Lanka as a regional healthcare destination creates additional opportunities in medical technology, hospital infrastructure and specialised healthcare services. As Sri Lanka seeks to expand domestic pharmaceutical production and strengthen its export capacity, foreign businesses/investors have opportunities to participate in an industry with potential for import substitution, technology development and access to regional markets.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20261104Z_3 |