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Sphera Encapsulation at CPHI Milan 2026: SpherAQ® Technology
From 6 to 8 October 2026, the Fiera Milano exhibition center (Rho) hosts CPHI Milan 2026, one of the world’s leading events for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, which this year celebrates its 35th anniversary.
It is an event of international scale: over 62,000 industry professionals are expected, along with more than 2,400 exhibiting companies from over 160 countries and more than 250 international speakers, all gathered to discuss the future of pharma, sustainability, and smart manufacturing.
In this setting, dedicated to the evolution of production processes and the application of Artificial Intelligence, we at Sphera Encapsulation will be attending as specialized visitors. We are an Italian company focused on research and development in encapsulation technologies, and we are taking part in CPHI Milan 2026 to engage with the most advanced trends in the global supply chain, carbon footprint reduction (Green Chemistry), and manufacturing digitalization.
CPHI Milan 2026: key trends for the pharma and nutraceutical industries
The event programme focuses on several strategic themes that are driving the transformation of the health and life sciences markets:
- Artificial Intelligence and manufacturing technologies: applications of AI in R&D and manufacturing processes, with a dedicated AI & Tech area.
- Sustainability: the CPHI Sustainability Summit (6–7 October) will address green chemistry, carbon footprint reduction, and sustainable manufacturing.
- Supply chain and logistics: solutions for cold chain management (Cold Chain & Logistics), contamination control, and traceability.
- Innovation across the entire value chain: from active ingredients and excipients to drug delivery systems and finished products.
In such a dynamic landscape, one of the main challenges for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulators is developing products that are stable, effective, and offer good bioavailability. This is precisely where Sphera’s everyday work comes into play.
Formulation challenges in nutraceutical microencapsulation
Nutraceuticals—active ingredients derived from plants, microorganisms, and mineral or animal sources—play an important role in modern approaches to health and well-being. However, moving from the original matrix to a concentrated ingredient suitable for tablets, granules, or capsules presents several critical challenges:
- Degradation of active ingredients: exposure to oxygen, temperature fluctuations, and gastric acidity can significantly reduce the effectiveness of functional ingredients.
- Unpleasant organoleptic profiles: many extracts and oils have intense flavours and odours that may be difficult for consumers to accept.
- Low solubility and limited bioavailability: lipophilic molecules, such as essential oils and fatty acids, can be poorly absorbed by the body and are difficult to incorporate into aqueous matrices.
To overcome these barriers, at Sphera Encapsulation we design tailor-made microencapsulation solutions for both the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries, with the aim of providing structural protection and targeted release at the intestinal absorption site.
SpherAQ® technology: supporting the bioavailability of lipophilic molecules
To address the needs of the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets, Sphera Encapsulation has developed SpherAQ®, a patented technology designed to modify the behaviour of hydrophobic molecules.
How does SpherAQ® technology work?
SpherAQ® creates a protective barrier around the lipophilic active ingredient, helping shield it from environmental factors and aggressive metabolic conditions:
- Water dispersibility: enables lipophilic ingredients to disperse easily in water, in many cases reducing the need for masking flavours or additional excipients.
- Protection under challenging conditions: by isolating the active ingredient from gastric acidity and digestive enzymes, the technology helps preserve its integrity until the intended point of release.
- Organoleptic masking: helps mask undesirable odours and flavours, facilitating incorporation into functional foods and beverages.
- Stability and shelf life: supports product stability over time against critical factors such as temperature, homogenisation, light, and oxidative agents.
In vivo studies suggest that formulations using SpherAQ® may promote improved absorption compared with conventional forms, potentially allowing raw-material dosages to be optimised while maintaining the same functional efficacy.
Innovate your pharma and nutraceutical formulations with Sphera Encapsulation
CPHI Milan 2026 offers a valuable opportunity to explore emerging formulation technologies and discuss strategies for improving the bioavailability of active ingredients.
If you are looking for a scientific partner capable of transforming challenging ingredients into stable and competitive products, discover the solutions developed in our laboratories.
Would you like to find out how SpherAQ® technology could be applied to your products? Contact the Sphera Encapsulation R&D team to request a feasibility study or arrange a meeting during CPHI Milan 2026.
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