Page 10 - ITLN May-June 2021 issue for Magzter

Cover Story
Temp-Controlled
Pharma Logistics

at a controlled temperature. Due to
the latest innovations in medicines,
vaccines & bio-pharmaceuticals, which
are heat & humidity sensitive, need for
temp-controlled storage environment
is high," he said.
Sujoy Guha – CEO & MD, CriticaLog,
expects the growth in pharmaceutical
products and their derivatives to trigger
the growth.
“An increase in the growth of
more complex biological-based
medicines increased requirements of
hormone-based treatments, vaccines,
and multiple proteins required
to be transported at a controlled
temperature. There has been an
uptick in biopharmaceutical products
at a significantly accelerated rate
than small molecule drugs, and the
temp-controlled environment can be growth in vaccines is the cause why
classified into the raw materials (active the total sales amount of temperature-
pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and controlled pharmaceutical products
other speciality chemical compounds/ is growing double the rate that of the
re-agents) or the finished goods pharmaceutical industry,” he said.
(vaccine, medicines, diagnostic kits, However, he also noted that the
injectable & life-saving drugs etc). temperature-controlled service providers
Prasanna Salvi, head–vaccine task find it challenging to reduce their
force, emerging markets / SME and operational costs due to an expansion in
channels, Blue Dart, noted that the the consumed energy costs.
pandemic has put things into perspective, “High operational cost along with
especially for the pharmaceutical lack of uniform implementation of
industry, helping it evolve into an entirely standards and accreditations are
self-sustained model of operations. some of the significant challenges to
"Over the last decade, the volumes Due to latest innovations the market, where the character and
of temp-sensitive shipments have risen in medicines, vaccines versatility of available temperature-
in that more raw materials and finished & bio-pharma, which controlled warehousing space is a major
products are being shipped now," he said. are heat & humidity concern at present. Nevertheless,
Sanjay Sharma, vice president, the increasing need for liquid nitrogen
corporate sales & distribution at Coldman sensitive, need for temp- and temperature monitoring devices
Logistics, thinks that the Covid-19 controlled storage will add unique opportunities for this
pandemic has taught organisations, and is high. market,” he added.
especially nations, the need to cooperate Chetan D. Shinde Even though the business potential
and collaborate which will have a positive Snowman Logistics of the Indian pharma cold chain are
impact on the business of moving temp- undisputed, any industry could be
controlled pharmaceuticals. evaluated only in testing times. The
"Largely API, vaccines and health Chetan D. Shinde, AGM disturbance caused by the Covid-19
supplements move under temp-controlled pharmaceuticals & healthcare, pandemic and the new task in hand to
conditions and largely being imported Snowman Logistics, reported that the move Covid-19 vaccines are the best
and exported. Every country is facing demand for organised pharma logistics occasions to do it.
challenges from the newly evolved viruses has been multiplying at a rapid rate in
and everyone has realised that these the post-pandemic world. Covid vaccine
battles against viruses cannot be fought "It is not only the vaccine that As India entered the big phase of
by standing alone. Hence, in the coming needs to be transported in temp- vaccinating the maximum number
few years we shall see more collaborative controlled environments, complex of people, one of the biggest of such
efforts between various countries leading biological-based medicines, shipments attempts, the vaccine supply chain
to growth opportunities for both domestic of hormone treatments, complex network in India is expected to undergo
and EXIM business," he fathomed. proteins also have to be transported massive changes.

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