Stefano Togni is currently acting as Chief Commercial Officer and Business Development Director at Indena S.p.A., nurturing strong collaborations with external and internal R&D teams.
Coming from a medical background (he holds a DVM degree and a post-degree training in Intellectual Property), Stefano joined Indena in 2004, starting in Marketing and Corporate Communications. He joined the Business Development team in 2006, with increasing responsibility for CDMO Business Unit activities and for sales.
Strengthened resilience
Highlights from our discussion with Stefano Togni, Chief Commercial Officer and Business Development Director at Indena.
Stefano Togni: “Through challenging times, I feel we – as people and as members of the pharmaceutical industry – have been able to strengthen our resilience; we have all been transformed for the better and learnt lessons to remember...”
Supply chain resilience
Real scrutiny into the API supply chain began following issues with some Asian sources that spurred a rethinking of sourcing strategies: substantial HSE deviations, data integrity issues, and the scandal of genotoxic impurities. Now, COVID and geopolitical tensions have further increased awareness of supply chain resilience, and this is becoming even more important considering difficulties affecting logistics, raw materials and energy.
On-shoring programs have been proposed, and it makes sense that each country or region should retain a degree of independence, and the potential to manufacture certain essential API and drug products, in case of significant and unexpected disruptions. This is common for other essential services, like energy production. However, the most important aspect, in Stefano’s view, is not on-shoring, but reliance on secure and stable sources, which have themselves adopted continuity and contingency programs.
Centenary celebrations
Indena has offered custom development and manufacturing solutions since 1921. With more than 100 years of history, high quality standards and a prudent approach, Indena is seen as a very reliable partner. This reputation was reaffirmed by the company’s ability to guarantee stability of supply during the pandemic, and during the latest post-pandemic events.
To celebrate Indena’s 100th anniversary last year, in combination with CPhI in Milan, the company organised a hybrid event with its most reliable partners and customers either able to travel to Italy or connected globally.
“It was an amazing experience,” says Stefano. “It is very important to reconnect in person with people and partners. The recent challenging times that we have all lived through have taught us to take more care of, and nurture, personal interactions, having experienced – by their absence for so many months – their importance both for the business and for ourselves.”
Potent investment
Indena has invested quite heavily in facilities designed for high potency APIs (HPAPI). The latest investment program started in 2015 and is now under further expansion. These investments were driven by the market – customers appreciating Indena’s services and offering additional opportunities to work together.
Indena continues to see an increase in demand for HPAPIs: in general, also considering the emergence of targeted and personalized therapies, volumes are smaller and potency can be higher than in the past. This is why Indena has opened two HPAPIs suites, to complement the existing ones and industrial departments.
“HPAPI is definitely one of Indena’s expertise,” says Stefano. “But the company has also invested significantly in a pilot GMP plant, to produce clinical and small-scale commercial batches, and in Spray Drying from organic solvents.”
Sustainable business
Sustainability is becoming more and more important in the pharma space. NetZero is already a target that Indena considers when shaping and designing its processes, and the company’s core expertise in naturally derived molecules, and its SuSo (Sustainable Sourcing) program, show how sustainability is part of the company’s approach.
“We have to guarantee the continuity of the environment, if we want to guarantee the continuity of our business,“ says Stefano.
In terms of emissions, the company has been working substantially in terms of reduction. The latest investment is the adoption of significant photovoltaic systems at two of the group’s sites.
DCAT Week is the premier global event held annually in New York City for companies engaged in the Bio/Pharmaceutical manufacturing value chain. It is hosted by the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT), a not-for-profit, corporate member-supported, and volunteer-led global business development association for companies engaged in the Bio/Pharmaceutical manufacturing value chain. Learn more at
