We very much welcome the revitalisation of the TECHNOPHARM brand

Professor Klein, you have been President of the APV since 1 April 2024. What prompted you to take on this position?

As a young scientist, the APV offered me many advantages. It was therefore a matter of course for me to join the board when I was asked - and now to take over the presidency.
The APV is the most important organisation in Germany for the field of pharmaceutical technology and now also industrial pharmacy. It is a non-profit organisation in which the members work together very actively in their free time in the ten specialist groups and various task forces and meet in local groups. It is therefore an honour for me to take over the presidency.

What are the tasks of the specialist groups?

The members meet regularly, virtually or in person, and discuss current topics. If it makes sense, they organise seminars. One or two publications, guidelines or white papers, have already resulted from this work. Sometimes the meetings are also combined with a tour of one of the members' companies. This gives you an insight into new production areas.

How long have you been an APV member?

I joined in 2000, during my doctorate. It's an unwritten law: as a pharmaceutical technologist, you join the APV as early as possible. It was a very good move. I learnt a lot in the seminars, which you can attend as a student member for a small fee. I gained insights into numerous basic topics, but also into modern specialist areas. At the same time, it was the start of a great network.

Can you give some examples?

We have been working on individualised medicine for some time now. We have set up a task force to look at how we can realise the production of medicines for small groups of patients. Artificial intelligence and digitalisation are currently gaining in importance. The task forces offer us the opportunity to address new topics of this kind outside the fixed structures of the specialist groups. It is very important to me to also integrate young scientists. Some task forces, such as the one on 3D printing, were even co-founded by members during their postdoc period.

With you and your predecessor Prof Breitkreuz, there are two university representatives at the head of the APV. Do experts from universities generally dominate the association?

No, the majority of our members come from the pharmaceutical industry. That is extremely important to us. We make sure that the various sectors of the pharmaceutical industry, such as research-based pharmaceutical companies, generics, excipient and contract manufacturers, as well as academia, are represented on the board. Most of the specialised groups are also chaired by industry representatives. However, a university representative is probably the best choice for the chairmanship of the board. We are never suspected of pushing a topic out of corporate interests.

Does the APV also provide impetus to national and European authorities such as the BfArM and the EMA?

That is our goal. We invite representatives of the authorities to many events in order to enter into dialogue with them. It would be very important for us to intensify the previously more active dialogue again.

Please give us a brief insight into your university work.

I specialise in biorelevant in-vitro release models that can be used to predict the release of active ingredients in vivo. My current focus is on establishing such models for children of different age groups and using them in the development of paediatric dosage forms. The aim is to predict whether a dosage form or an administration condition is suitable without unnecessary experiments on animals or humans.

In conclusion: What is important to you in your private life and what do you spend your free time doing?

I'm a big football fan; when there's time, I also like to go to the stadium. I used to play myself. As a nature lover, I also enjoy going out into nature or working in the garden. I also play the clarinet, for a long time in a music club. Unfortunately, I only get to do this sporadically now. My friends, who I see far too rarely, are extremely important to me. I come from Hessen and still have a flat there, but of course I'm mainly in Greifswald. But the old friendships last. Friends are friends.