As the global demand for life-saving medications continues to rise, the challenge of ensuring their safe and efficient delivery has become a top priority. This has led to the emergence of strategic initiatives that bring together key stakeholders across the pharmaceutical supply chain, from manufacturers to logistics providers. These efforts are not only addressing the immediate needs of the life sciences industry but are also paving the way for future innovations and advancements that will enhance global health and well-being.

Pharma.Aero, a global collaborative platform dedicated to advancing pharmaceutical logistics, was established in 2016 to foster collaboration among various stakeholders within the pharmaceutical air transportation sector. Earlier this year, the organisation  announced a strategic decision to expand from airfreight to multimodal approach, to integrate all segments of the pharmaceutical supply chain and logistics, including sea and land.

At the heart of Pharma.Aero’s strategy is the creation of a unified platform that brings together a diverse array of stakeholders within the life sciences supply chain.

“Pharma.Aero’s strategic vision revolves around creating a platform to unite stakeholders from various sectors within the life science supply chain and logistics industries. By fostering collaboration and exchanging knowledge among airports, airlines, freight forwarders, trucking companies, solutions providers, and especially pharmaceutical manufacturers, we aim to enhance and advance the pharma logistics sector,” Liew Zhong Yao, Vice-Chair of Pharma.Aero and General Manager of Cargo Business at Changi Airport Group, said.

Platform for collaboration

A critical component of Pharma.Aero’s structure is the Life Sciences Manufacturers Advisory Platform (LMAP). This serves as a bridge between pharmaceutical manufacturers and the wider logistics community, ensuring that the specific needs and requirements of the industry are met. As Liew explains, the LMAP is instrumental in shaping the organisation’s activities and projects.

“The Life Sciences Manufacturers Advisory Platform (LMAP) plays a pivotal role within Pharma.Aero’s structure by engaging with pharmaceutical manufacturers, who are the key stakeholders in pharma shipments. Manufacturers possess in-depth knowledge of specific transportation requirements for their products to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of pharmaceuticals.”

This collaborative approach has already yielded significant results, with global manufacturers such as Novartis, Pfizer and Zoetis actively participating in the strategic direction of Pharma.Aero. The insights and guidance provided by these industry leaders are crucial in developing projects that offer tangible benefits to both members and the broader pharmaceutical logistics community.

“Pharma.Aero’s growth and presence are also driven by the inclusion of the academic community. Every year, our organisation, together with the University of Antwerp, brings together business and academia for a one-week learning event, where participants engage in intensive brainstorming discussions about the pharma logistics industry and its future tendencies,” Hugo Repolho, member of the Pharma.Aero Board of Directors, added.

Pharma.Aero’s commitment to innovation is evident in the diverse range of projects and initiatives it undertakes. One of the organisation’s current focuses is on sustainability, particularly in relation to tertiary packaging and air cargo consumables used for life sciences shipments.

“This initiative exemplifies industry collaboration to find innovative solutions that prioritise product protection and environmental responsibility, ensuring the efficient delivery of medications while minimising the industry’s environmental footprint,” Liew noted.

Global logistics

While Pharma.Aero continues to make strides in improving pharmaceutical logistics, the organisation is also acutely aware of the challenges it faces. One of the most significant challenges is ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of pharmaceuticals in lesser-developed regions, where infrastructure and operating procedures may not be as advanced.

“Within the organisation, we are often challenged on how we can contribute towards improving the pharmaceutical supply chains for lesser-developed countries. Within Pharma.Aero we are trying our best to tackle these issues on multiple fronts. We truly believe in the power of drones for last mile delivery, or first mile pick-up. A Pharma.Aero drone project was finalised in 2022, highlighting its strengths but also pinpointing areas of improvement,” Samuel Speltdoorn, Senior Business & Network Development Manager Cargo at Brussels Airport Company, said.

Along with the challenges come significant opportunities for innovation within the industry. Repolho points to the potential for global forums and collaboration to drive improvements in pharmaceutical logistics.

“By reaching a global community and promoting joint global forums, Pharma.Aero gives visibility for a wider group of players in the Pharma supply chain. Also, by including manufacturers and promoting interaction with service companies, they will understand better their needs and ultimately introduce improvements sooner.”

As Pharma.Aero looks to the future, the organisation recognises the importance of standardisation and digitalisation in ensuring the integrity of the global pharmaceutical supply chain. However, achieving a fully standardised approach is a complex challenge, given the regional specificities that must be taken into account.

“Global and unique standard processes are not possible as there are regional specificities that make that goal impossible. Nevertheless, by including companies worldwide, Pharma.Aero gains better visibility over most regional markets,” Repolho added.

“The elephant in the room remains communication. Companies need to jointly push for a uniform way of data management. Once we are there, the road will become less bumpy,” Speltdoorn concluded.

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