GREAT SUCCESS FOR COSMOFARMA EXHIBITION 2015 WHICH CLOSED IN BOLOGNA WITH 910 EXHIBITING BRANDS AND +8% VISITORS Cosmofarma Exhibition, the European leading event for the Pharmacy world, organized by BolognaFiere Group th with the prestigious partnership of Federfarma and Cosmetica Italia (Gruppo Cosmetici in Farmacia), closed its 19 edition with 29,771 visitors (+8% compared to the 2014 edition), with a strong increase of attendees from abroad. (+21%). The brands exhibiting were 910 (320 from the pharmaceutical sector, 290 from the cosmetics sector and 300 from the sector focused on the services for the pharmacy). 237 journalists visited the show and confirmed the attention that trade and consumer press usually pay on our exhibition. “This Cosmofarma has been the edition dedicated to innovation – said Duccio Campagnoli, President of BolognaFiere Group – , to the model of a new pharmacy, with the digital solution proposed by 21 young entrepreneurs presented during the first edition of “Startup Village”. All of these initiative aim at make the pharmacy service to the clients easier and more suitable to the different needs. At the same time, this Cosmofarma has focused on rural pharmacies, underlining their important social role and their attention on technological changes which can ease the daily job of pharmacists working in suburban areas. Both focuses, which apparently seem to be ditached from one another, put under the spotlights the social value of pharmacies and their role in society, even of those which are present in the most peripheral areas of the country. The pharmacy is the first medical aid and a reference point for citizens, anywhere they may live. This has been also the Cosmofarma edition underlining the increasing quality of Italian products for nutritionals, to save health and wellness, in the growing sectors of nutraceuticals and cosmoceuticals. Nuce and Fooding, which for the first time run together with Cosmofarma, registered an increase of 50% of visitors compared to last year, with the presence of the most important brands which gathered the attention of professionals on new projects: lots of new projects and solutions to face a more and more organized and competitive market. Finally, this Cosmofarma edition focused on internationality,: the show registered an increase of 21% of visitors coming from foreign countries. We improved as well our International Buyer Program, a consolidated tool which helps networking between exhibitors and buyers of all the sectors, encouraging the meet between supply and demand in the pharmaceutical market. 50 Buyers coming from 18 countries took part to 800 B2B meetings scheduled by Cosmofarma, which engaged 180 companies”. 80 conferences, workshops and meetings (including 5 ECM courses) underlined the important role Cosmofarma plays in the professional and scientific education. They are a specific feature of an event calling to all the professional figures of the pharmacy world, offering solutions to address industry, services and new regulations in the changing scenarios that characterize our age. This topic was discussed during the meetings held by Federfarma, Farmindustria, Utifar, Fenagifar, Asis, AIIPA, Federsalus, Sunifar, with the support of numerous organizations including IMS Health, Doxa Pharma, DE International, Institute of Health Sciences. For the first time, Cosmofarma organized "DermoCosm – Vita Cutis", the first Congress under the chairmanship of Professor Antonino Di Pietro with the accession of all nine dermatological and aesthetic associations, with the purpose of relate ever closer two professionals, physicians and pharmacists. Cosmofarma also hosted the traditional focus on nutrition and nutraceuticals, with numerous initiatives organized by Professor Enrico Roda. Pharmintech, in collaboration with ISPE (International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering), organized a conference on the falsification of medicines, a preparatory event to Cosmofarma 2016, when there will be a real "Pharma Week" during which i twill be possible to discover the complete supply chain of the pharmaceutical industry: packaging, contract manufacturing, pharmaceutical companies, nutraceuticals. Great interest and attention for the "Skincare in Pharmacy", which shows a positive trend, as demonstrated by the participation in conferences organized in collaboration with Cosmetica Italia-Gruppo Cosmetici in Farmacia. The 2015 edition has accelerated on internationality, focusing on growing markets: Russia, Scandinavia, Balkan Area, Spain, UK, Poland, Bulgaria and Egypt. This result has been obtained thanks to the collaboration of the Italian Chambers of Commerce and through a program of road shows during which the event was presented with the aim of spreading the image of Cosmofarma at a more international level. Cosmofarma 2015, entitled "The Future is today", organized the first edition of the "Innovation & Research Awards" that were presented during the gala evening of Friday, April 17 to MAST (Manufacture of Arts, Experimentation and Technology) of Bologna. The ceremony has enhanced the creative abilities and level of innovation and research of the exhibiting companies at Cosmofarma, with particular attention to initiatives that have brought a contribution to the development of pharmacy and the cultural and professional growth of the pharmacist. For the category “Technology – Systems for Pharmacies” the price went to Sebastian Vadalà for Gruppo Zero24 - PharmMaciste 24, automatic machine for para-pharmaceutical products built entirely on an industrial level and that has obtained the certification of the Italian Institute of Quality Mark. For the category “Technology – Systems for Consumers” the price went to “Ellipta” by GlaxoSmithKline, represented by the President and Chief Executive Officer Daniele Finocchiaro. The company presented an innovative inhaler for asthma and bronchial COPD that each inhalation guarantees constant release of the two active ingredients in two separate blister within the device. “Easy Chain” by Sartoretto Verna won the price for “Technology – Furniture”, thanks to an eco-sustainable furniture system which introduced in the market the concept of recycling. For the category “Nutrition”, the price went to “Giusto” by Giuliani, bread made from gluten-free wheat flour, and therefore suitable to diet for celiac patients. The price has been delivered to Giammaria Giuliani, member of the Board of Directors of Giuliani. For the sector “OTC” the price went to Dompé for its “Fluifort”, cough syrup in pre-measured sachets, practical and easy to take, and very effective thanks to the concentration of active ingredient. Representing the company, the CEO of the group, Eugenio Aringhieri. This Cosmofarma 2015 edition che has gained exceptional interest and attention and it confirmed the collaboration with the Francesca Rava Foundation for the initiative “In Farmacia con i Bambini” (“In pharmacy with children”), thus underlining a further aspect of the mission by Cosmofarma: to put under the spotlight together with the business focus also the attention towards charity associations and the most problematic social categories. COSMOFARMA EXHIBITION IMAGE & COMMUNICATION | Paolo Landi | [email protected] PRESS OFFICE | Arianna Rizzi | Tel. +39 02 454708253 | [email protected]