Menarini wins 3 accolades at Healthcare Asia Pharma Awards 2026

It received awards for its child-friendly allergy innovation, reshaping Herpes Zoster care, and Menarini Connect.

A. Menarini (Thailand) Ltd, Menarini (China), and Menarini Vietnam were recognised across three categories at the Healthcare Asia Pharma Awards 2026, taking home wins for Marketing & Communications Initiative of the Year - Thailand, Hospital Partnership of the Year - China, and Digital Innovation of the Year - Vietnam, respectively.

These accolades laud the company’s orodispersible tablet (ODT) for children, collaboration with the China Societies in Herpes Zoster Disease Development, and Menarini Connect super-app.

Child-friendly allergy care in Thailand

A.Menarini (Thailand) Ltd won Marketing & Communications Initiative of the Year - Thailand in the Healthcare Asia Pharma Awards 2026 for its innovative ODT for Children.

Many parents face daily medication struggles due to messy syrups and bitter tablets, which lead to poor compliance. Concerns also persist over older-generation antihistamines that cross the blood-brain barrier and cause sedation, which may affect children’s learning and cognitive development. A.Menarini (Thailand) Ltd addressed these concerns through the launch of the country’s first ODT for children.

To make treatment less intimidating, the campaign replaced the usual clinical tone with a friendly mascot, Nong Rai Foon, and introduced a waterless, instant-dissolve tablet format. The child-centric design, supported by the non-sedating bilastine molecule, aims to ensure safety for the developing brain whilst making the experience simple for both children and parents.

Beyond the medicine itself, A.Menarini (Thailand) Ltd equipped more than 3,800 pharmacists with immersive training and visual educational tools. This repositioned pharmacists as partners in care rather than passive dispensers. With improved knowledge and materials, pharmacists now counsel parents more effectively on safety and adherence.

The initiative shifted medication battles into voluntary acceptance, helping children receive their full dose without resistance. Chulalongkorn University incorporated this ODT innovation into its pharmacy curriculum, reflecting the campaign’s influence on professional standards. Commercially, the new paediatric formulation secured an 8% value market share based on IQVIA Q3 2025 data shortly after launch and achieved 100% acceptance across key pharmacy chains with more than 1,200 branches within three months.

Hospital partnership in China

Menarini (China) received the Hospital Partnership of the Year - China award for its collaboration with the China Societies in Herpes Zoster Disease Development.

The partnership targets two key projects that reshape Herpes Zoster care in China. Top KOLs and associations join the effort. Western medicine alongside Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners in HZ treatment. This East-meets-West approach fits local cultures and practices. The project reaches over 30 provinces and influences more than 2,000 HCPs.

Treatment standards emerge from these efforts. Hospitals adopt Early & Strong Antiviral protocols for HZ. Over 600 hospitals also implement the changes. Meanwhile, doctors gain new tools from the Antiviral +TCM HZ project. It creates the first consensus on integrated TCM and Western medicine for HZ. Evidence fills gaps in combination therapy. Therapeutic concepts rise for 600+ physicians in provincial centres.

Patient care improved through these steps. HZ medicine advances alongside social science insights. The partnership strengthens hospital ties. It equips facilities with data-driven standards. Physicians apply them in daily practice.

Reimagining HCP engagement in Vietnam’s pharmaceutical industry

Menarini Vietnam was given the Digital Innovation of the Year - Vietnam accolade for Menarini Connect, a pioneering super-app that solves the “disconnect” the pharmaceutical industry currently faces.

The initiative sought to change how pharmaceutical companies engage with healthcare professionals (HCPs) in a saturated digital landscape.

HCPs suffer from information overload and geographic barriers limit the reach of field forces. Traditional solutions often involve creating new portals or apps that struggle to gain traction. With Menarini Vietnam’s innovation, they adopted a behaviour-first strategy, building their ecosystem directly inside Zalo, the messaging app already used daily by their target
audience.

Menarini Connect stands out not just for its user interface but for its backend sophistication. The operational ecosystem integrates an AI-powered content hub, utilising Gemini AI and Canva Enterprise to deliver personalised content at scale and velocity. This system syncs Zalo data with the Marketing Cloud, enabling an omnichannel experience that supports
face-to-face interactions rather than replacing them.

This innovation navigates the complex regulatory landscape of Vietnam with a “Compliance Shield” which ensures that the speed of digital engagement never compromises regulatory standards. It also enabled 100% paperless events via QR code check-ins.

Following its implementation, Menarini Connect has successfully delivered exceptional metrics. A market-leading 96% click-through rate proved that the hyper-localised content is highly relevant to the audience. The initiative also drove a massive increase in the user base, adding 2,150 verified HCPs in 2025 to reach a total of over 3,000.

By transforming a standard messaging app into a comprehensive Medical Mini-App, Menarini Vietnam has built a digital highway directly to the customer, rather than trying to force traffic onto a new, unfamiliar road.

The Healthcare Asia Pharma Awards shines a spotlight on the outstanding companies redefining pharmaceutical excellence in Asia. It lauds those who redefine the pharmaceutical landscape through innovative, unique initiatives that have significantly enhanced their businesses.

The Healthcare Asia Pharma Awards is presented by Healthcare Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be recognised for your organisation's innovative and unique initiatives that enhanced your business and remarkable contributions to the pharmaceutical industry, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez-Difuntorum at [email protected].