Category: Cold Chain Focus
Sonoco ThermoSafe, a temperature assurance packaging company, and AirBridgeCargo Airlines, an all-cargo carrier within the Volga-Dnepr Group, have effectively conducted a test shipment with ThermoSafe’s new Pegasus ULD. The companies call it “the world’s first passive bulk temperature-controlled container for pharmaceutical use that is an approved unit load device.” The businesses originally signed a master […]
Swift Sensors, a provider of industrial internet of things (IoT) sensor solutions, has launched its secure wireless vaccine storage unit monitoring and alert system, which, the company says, allows medical facilities and pharmacies to remotely monitor Covid-19 vaccine storage temperatures, automate data logging, and respond promptly in the event of an equipment issue or power […]
SkyCell, a manufacturer of data-driven temperature-controlled containers for the pharma industry, has partnered with Korean Air Cargo as it focuses on business development in Korea. The partnership comes at a time when there is an increase in demand for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments this year. Cold-chain maintenance for vaccine transportation is one of several challenges […]
Moderna and Kuehne+Nagel have reached an international supply chain arrangement to provide distribution and storage of Moderna’s Covid-19 mRNA vaccine. The news comes after the vaccine was granted conditional market authorization (CMA) by the European Commission last week. The arrangement includes distribution and warehousing of the vaccine from Kuehne+Nagel’s Europe-based pharma hub. The logistics company […]
As healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities in the US start receiving their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Creche Innovations, a medical device company, alongside a Covid-19 vaccine focus group consisting of physicians, nurses and pharmacists from across the country, have developed the Pandemic Mobile Command Center (PMCC) with built-in MicroCool Refrigeration […]
Qatar Airways Cargo has been awarded the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) certification in pharma logistics, the company announced. CEIV Pharma is an industry-wide standard that addresses the segment’s need for more safety, security, compliance and efficiency. The certification encompasses Qatar Airways Cargo’s operations, its quality management system […]
Thermo Fisher Scientific announced the construction of a new current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) plasmid DNA manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, CA. The 67,000-sq.-ft. site—which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2021—will expand the company’s clinical and commercial capabilities for cGMP plasmid DNA as a raw material to develop cell and gene-based […]
DeltaTrak rolled out vaccine temperature-monitoring products that are compatible with the three temperature profiles necessary for the transport, storage and handling of Covid-19 vaccines, the company says. These consist of certified alarm thermometers, digital data loggers (DDLs) and real-time monitors (RTL) for vaccines stored in refrigerators, freezers, ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers, and thermal shippers. DeltaTrak’s […]
Cold Chain Technologies (CCT) was a supplier of specialty thermal packaging for the storage and transfer of Covid-19 vaccines in support of the US government’s Operation Warp Speed (OWS) distribution plan. Although no two scenarios are alike, Ranjeet Banerjee, the company’s CEO, notes that CCT’s experience in similar situations, such as H1N1, have helped from […]
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is here, approved by FDA under an emergency use authorization (EUA) on Dec. 11. The Moderna version (also based on mRNA technology, and from a company that has never had a commercially approved product) is expected to have an FDA public hearing on Dec. 17; if the Pfizer-BioNTech pattern holds, that product could […]
SeaCube Containers LLC acquired 200 Carrier Pods monitored by Sensitech to help combat the projected need for refrigerated storage capacity and cargo visibility in support of Covid-19 vaccine distribution. Carrier Pods temporary storage unit. Credit: Carrier Transicold As previously reported by Pharmaceutical Commerce, the systems offer deep-frozen container refrigeration with telematics, data analytics and most recently, remote cargo […]
Tjoapack, a contract packaging organization (CPO) for the pharma industry, has invested $12.1 million into its packaging and supply chain facility in Etten-Leur, Netherlands over the next two years. The location will expand from approximately 90,417 sq. ft. to about 123,785 sq. ft. in size, adding eight new production lines to double capacity for primary […]
The global vaccine storage and packaging market is projected to jump to $43.8 billion by 2027, according to a new study published by Polaris Market Research. The market is also expecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.4% from 2020 to 2027. Technological advancements in the storage and packaging of medicines, a climb in the […]
World Courier’s new Kenya office. Credit: World Courier World Courier, a specialty logistics company, opened a new clinical and commercial storage depot in Istanbul, Turkey, along with a new office in Nairobi, Kenya. Given the city’s large population and location in the Eastern-Europe-Middle East-North African triangle, the company’s Turkey depot will serve as a clinical and commercial […]
As part of the “1 million kilos” charitable initiative, Kuehne+Nagel and Qatar Airways Cargo have donated air freight services to UNICEF to help combat Covid-19. Members of the Hope Consortium. Credit: the Hope Consortium The “1 million kilos” initiative is part of the larger sustainability “We Qare” project of Qatar Airways Cargo, in which the […]
In a few weeks, if all goes well with FDA reviews and approvals, Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine will begin to be administered to healthcare workers in the US, followed by Moderna’s. We will immediately begin hearing about, on the one hand, well-connected people of any background getting the vaccine, and on the other hand, people saying […]
In response to the challenge associated with the storage and transportation of cold chain products, including frozen vaccines for Covid-19, UPS Healthcare, which continued major expansion this summer, can now create up to 1,200 pounds of dry ice per hour in its US facilities. That output is in line with manufacturer storage requirements. UPS will also […]
Cold Chain Technologies (CCT), a company that is no stranger to innovation, has opened up a new location in Lebanon, TN, a 255,000 sq.-ft. cold chain facility that’s main priority will be Covid-19 vaccine distribution. The space contains Koolit refrigerant manufacturing and work cells for CCT’s KoolTemp EcoFlex (CCT’s reusable thermal packaging solution), with the […]
DHL Global Forwarding is growing its 72,000 sq.-ft. certified life science station in San Juan, Puerto Rico by investing over $650,000 in further cold storage space and technology for the life sciences and healthcare sector. This comes after previously announcing its $70 million US life sciences investment earlier this year, and the completion of a […]
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which previously noted that month-on-month global demand for air cargo in September increased 3.7% over August numbers, recently released logistics supply chain guidance to help make sure that the air cargo industry is ready to support the handling, transportation and distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine. Produced with the backing […]
With a potential inoculation on the horizon, the Cool Chain Association (CCA) has launched a Covid-19 Distribution Change Management Matrix. Its objective: supporting airports with their coronavirus vaccine logistics plans. As noted by AviationPros, the matrix examines adherence to temperature requirements, packaging, forecast and quantity and timeframe across different stages in a vaccine’s journey through […]
In news reported by Reuters on Tuesday, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus indicated that it hopes to have a Covid-19 vaccine by end of 2020 and that Pfizer’s experimental candidate is “a very promising one.” However, vaccines such as Pfizer’s that use synthetic mRNA to activate the immune system against the virus have to […]
TraceLink, a Massachusetts-based digital platform company for the life science supply chain, officially introduced Serialized Product Intelligence, a new cloud application that uses serialization data to simplify the process of managing data across companies’ operations. The software provider previously set the table for this program last year after introducing its Digital Network Platform (DNP), which allows […]
TFF Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharma that recently increased its cGMP capabilities, and Augmenta Bioworks, Inc., a biotech that uses immune profiling technologies for medicinal purposes, have entered into a joint development and collaboration agreement to develop products incorporating Augmenta’s human-derived monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for potential Covid-19 therapeutics. Previously, in June, the companies struck a feasibility and material transfer […]
According to a published report by FreightWaves, pharma giant Pfizer will manage the distribution of its Covid-19 vaccine on its own instead of through the US government’s designated coordinator, McKesson. In July, the US government reached a contractual agreement with Pfizer to deliver 100 million initial doses once its vaccine is approved, along with an option […]
Sonoco ThermoSafe, a temperature assurance packaging company, and AirBridge Cargo Airlines have signed a master lease agreement to offer Sonoco ThermoSafe’s new Pegasus unit load device (ULD) bulk temperature-controlled container directly to its customers. The Pegasus ULD. Credit: Sonoco ThermoSafe This comes after the Pegasus ULD creator reached a development and manufacturing partnership with AeroTuf […]
FCS Frankfurt Cargo Services was recently granted EU good distribution practice (GDP) certification for medical products for human use—a key step in the company’s goal to expand its pharmaceutical logistics activities and ramp up preparations to handle sensitive Covid-19 vaccine consignments. This designation comes on the heels of FCS concluding its International Air Transport Association […]
A new report published by the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) Research Foundation and Deloitte Consulting LLP found that during the first 90 days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the biopharmaceutical finished goods industry adapted and adjusted to deliver medicines safely and efficiently to patients with only minimal disruptions. In the report titled, The First 90 Days: […]
New Carrier Pods monitored by Sensitech combine refrigeration technology and cargo monitoring capabilities to help address the challenges of Covid-19 vaccine distribution. Carrier and Sensitech both are part of Carrier Global Corp., a worldwide provider of building and cold chain options. The monitored pods are available in configurations that comply with Good Distribution Practice guidelines […]
Envirotainer, a global provider of temperature-controlled air freight equipment and technology for pharmaceuticals, is increasing its RAP e2 network capacity in the US by 57 percent. The four new RAP e2 stations in New York, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle will increase the capacity to securely ship both Covid-19 vaccines as well as all other medicines […]
CSafe Global, provider of temperature-controlled containers for the transport of pharmaceuticals, has opened a new hub operation in Mexico City, the second largest pharmaceutical market in Latin America after Brazil. Mexico City (Image courtesy of CSafe Global) “We are thrilled to add our second facility in Latin America in 2020,” said Tom Weir, chief operating […]
Reflect Scientific, Inc. has been awarded a patent for a cryogenic modular shipping unit that can uniformly maintain its payload at temperatures as low as -90°C, making it suited for cold chain management of biologics including Covid-19 vaccines. The cryogenic system provides a capability of short or long duration bulk shipping and may also be […]
LaunchWorks, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving the life sciences market, has been approved to manufacture and distribute viral transport media (VTM), in accordance with Section IV.B of the FDA’s Covid-19 transport media policy. (Image credit: LaunchWorks) The VTM, a new addition to the company’s products and services, is available in the form […]
AGC Biologics, a biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has announced leadership changes at its US and Copenhagen, Denmark operations. The changes became effective October 15. Jeffrey D. Mowery, formerly general manager of the Copenhagen site, joins the global executive team at the company’s headquarters in Seattle as senior vice president of US operations. Mowery, with more […]
IoT telematics company SkyBitz and fleet logistics technology provider Coretex are partnering to provide pharmaceutical, food and other customers with improved safety and quality assurance through visibility into the status of loads during transportation. The move combines Coretex’s sensor-based reefer technology and cloud-based software platform with SkyBitz’s trailer tracking technology for both powered and non-powered […]
In anticipation of forthcoming Covid-19 vaccine approvals, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced plans to stockpile 520 million syringes in its warehouses, part of a larger plan to have a billion syringes ready for use through 2021 in order to guarantee initial supply and help ensure that syringes arrive before vaccines are distributed. To […]
The SmartSense division of Digi International announced this week that its monitoring services meet expected guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for handling Covid-19 vaccines and that its solutions will support the entire vaccine cold chain from manufacturers to end-point providers. At present, SmartSense technologies collect more than 10 million […]
Volansi, Inc., an on-demand aerial delivery service for time-critical shipments, has begun delivering cold chain medicines from Merck’s Wilson, N.C. manufacturing site to Vidant Healthplex-Wilson, a medical center operated by Vidant Health and serving rural portions of the state. Initial flights in the project resulted in the first drone delivery of temperature-controlled medicines within the […]
Etihad Cargo has approved the use of CSafe Global’s high-performing container, the CSafe RAP, across its global fleet of wide-body and freighter aircraft. CSafe Global provides end-to-end thermal shipping for the pharmaceutical and life science industries with a presence in more than 150 countries. (Images courtesy of Etihad Cargo and CSafe Global) The CSafe RAP […]
BioLife Solutions, Inc.’s recently acquired SciSafe division has been awarded a two-year contract estimated at $2.7 million from an unnamed ‘large pharmaceutical company’ for cold chain management and storage of Covid-19 vaccines. SciSafe, a provider of biological materials storage founded in 2010, maintains four cGMP-compliant facilities located in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Utah, with an expansion plan focused on […]
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and Pharma.Aero, a cross-industry consortium focused on reliable end-to-end air transportation for pharmaceutical shippers, this week sounded an alarm over the current state of air cargo readiness for upcoming Covid-19 vaccine transportation. The two organizations recently surveyed airlines, freight forwarders, ground handlers, airport operators and solution providers to gauge […]
Momentive Technologies and Stevanato Group agreed to supply Momentive’s Pur Q fused quartz vials in Stevanato’s EZ-fill packaging format. The Pur Q vials are ultra-high-purity fused quartz vials available for pharmaceutical packaging. The EZ-fill secondary packaging provides a fully integrated, ready-to-use option for aseptic fill-finish operations. Pur Q fused quartz vials. (Image courtesy of Momentive […]
Biosimilar medicine availability and use are growing and on track to reduce drug costs by $100 billion over the next five years, according to a new report from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science. The development and approvals of biosimilars have been accelerating in the U.S. over the past two years, bringing a total […]
For months, pharmaceutical organizations and researchers worldwide have been focused on developing a vaccine for Covid-19. “Operation Warp Speed” (OWS), a collaboration among several U.S. governmental departments and 18 biopharmaceutical companies, was created to accelerate the development of a Covid-19 vaccine. Upon vaccine approval, OWS will aim to deliver 300 million doses by January 2021. […]
Mapi Pharma Ltd., a late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, plans to dedicate production capacity at its Jerusalem Har-Hotzim manufacturing facility for upcoming Covid-19 vaccines destined for Israel, the European Union and other potential locations. The company’s GMP facility is audited by the Israeli Ministry of Health, with approvals that are mutually recognized by the EU, […]
Reflect Scientific, Inc., a provider of products and services for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and transportation industries, has been testing an electric-powered heavy-duty truck to potentially replace the diesel-powered tractor trailers that currently are in use for the movement of goods requiring controlled temperatures. Cryometrix 53-foot reefer trailer (Credit: Reflect Scientific, Inc. via GlobeNewswire) The Cryometrix […]
Chicago-based project44, a supply chain visibility and logistics service, announced a series of new capabilities offering enhanced collaboration, automation and predictive insights to help shippers drive performance, productivity and customer experience. In the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors the company provides a range of temperature control services, predictive tracking, secure data flow, collaboration, rapid carrier onboarding and accelerated ROI, […]
Packaging Technology Group, Inc., a provider of thermal packaging for the biopharmaceutical and life sciences sector, has initiated a new line of off-the-shelf pre-qualified shippers, including an eco-friendly alternative. As pharmaceutical manufacturers race to respond to the global health crisis with a vaccine, the need to protect any potential vaccine’s temperature tolerance remains a priority. […]
The European Commission (EC), acting on behalf of the European Union (EU) member states, has approved an advance purchase agreement in which the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies will supply 200 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate following approval or authorization from regulators. The member states also have the option to secure up to 200 million […]
Carrier Global Corp., a provider of cold chain assets and intelligence, has launched a program designed to help meet the rapidly evolving cold chain demands for advanced refrigeration technology to protect medicines, vaccines and food. “The times we live in have increased the importance of cold chain resiliency and accelerated the need for more connected […]
Cryoport, Inc. has completed the acquisitions of MVE Biological Solutions, a global supplier of manufactured vacuum insulated products and cryogenic freezer systems, and CryoPDP, a provider of temperature-controlled logistics for the clinical research, pharmaceutical and cell and gene therapy markets. In 2019, MVE generated revenue of approximately $84 million and CryoPDP generated approximately $47 million […]
Etihad Cargo has launched the PharmaLife service, comprising both active and passive cargo containers and associated ground services. The company is not new to pharma logistics; a previous service was called TempCheck. It also touts its first-in-class status as the first Middle Eastern carrier to earn the CEIV Pharma certification from the International Air Transport […]
A smooth distribution process for approved vaccines for COVID-19 will require successful product storage and packaging, seamless cold chain transit, accurate shipping, and reliable storage solutions at the point of care. A kink in the process, such as cold transport issues or logistics delays, could spell disaster for vaccine distribution. Two main cold chain challenges […]
When it comes to the operation and optimization of supply chains, cold chain products have proven to be a temperamental obstacle. Medical and pharmaceutical companies have relied on temperature-controlled supply chains for several decades to preserve and maintain the usability of their temperature-sensitive products. Without total transparency or the ability to monitor temperature at every […]
On the heels of what would normally be considered a major acquisition by a relatively small company—Cryoport’s purchase of Paris-based CryoPDP—the company is now leaping ahead with a new acquisition: the life sciences business, MVE Biological Solutions, of Chart Industries. The purchase price is $320 million, which Cryoport is swinging by combining its own cash […]
Cryoport, whose business a few years ago was mostly around providing metal containers (dewars) for cryogenic shipping of life sciences materials, has now become a global player with a focus on the rapidly evolving cell and gene therapy (CGT) field. It opened a service center in the Netherlands in 2019 along with a European-based partnership. […]
Saying it is “expanding an existing partnership with the Centers for Disease Control,” the Irving, TX firm has announced its designation as the “centralized” distributor of future Covid-19 vaccines. “We are honored that the U.S. government has asked McKesson to play a key role in the effort to distribute COVID-19 vaccines,” said CEO Brian Tyler […]
Pharma logistics providers have long experience in cold chain management—generally, keeping pharmaceuticals at 2-8°C during storage and shipment. The push in recent years for cellular and genetic therapies, which can involve live cells, has created a growing need for so-called deep-frozen storage: -80°C or even -180°C (requiring liquid nitrogen). Now, it appears that at least […]
For several years now, various players around the logistics of temperature-senstive pharmaceuticals have looked into blockchain technology, and some have adopted blockchain-like features in their data-handling systems. Now, one of the leading providers of cold-chain packaging—Sonoco ThermoSafe—is plunging in with both feet. The company has partnered with IBM to set up what will be called […]
For several years now, Pelican Biothermal has been promoting the use of reusable, high-performance packaging in cold chain shipments; to this end it has established a global network of sales, service and return-logistics offices. (The company also sells single-use packaging.) Now, in its latest annual survey, it finds that 89% of pharma managers polled rate […]
According to results from a newly released cold chain sustainability survey, the biopharma industry is increasing its pace to prioritize sustainability in business and operational strategies. Nearly half of all respondents in the survey, produced by Pelican BioThermal, indicate that their existing practice had always factored sustainability into cold chain purchasing decisions. Overall, the survey […]
United Cargo says that it has been working with logistics partners to deliver approximately 35,000 lb of blood plasma, weekly, among a variety of international locations during recent months, despite the difficulties in air freight created by the Covid-19 pandemic. (While some of the plasma might be intended for Covid-19 patient treatment, this is apparently […]
The SensiWatch Platform employs IoT data-collection instruments and data-management tools, the better to provide an end-to-end visibility of shipments, including both geo- and condition (temperature, humidity and light) tracking. Internally, SensiWatch uses cloud-based storage (building on its earlier ColdStream data-tracking services) a data warehouse, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for integrating with existing customer applications and […]