For logistics coordinators in the biopharma space, working within time restrictions is a central concern. Not only can the timeliness of a medicinal product’s delivery be integral to patients’ health, but also, there are many materials that are only viable for a certain length of time. For biological treatments and components, this becomes particularly pressing.
For example, when designing the supply chain of autologous cell therapies, one of the key limitations is the short shelf life, which, in turn, places limitations on the distance that the product can travel or the routes that the therapy can take. This is especially true in cases in which the product is transferred fresh from apheresis to manufacturing, where laytime should not exceed the 24-hour window. Meanwhile, cell and gene therapy trials are often conducted in dispersed patient populations, requiring logistics coordination at a number of discrete sites.
Successfully meeting the requirements for these time-limited materials takes agility and versatility. Here, we discuss strategies for ensuring delivery of clinical trial materials and shipping biological samples to and from varied locations in a timely manner. These include approaches to enhancing speed and agility through optimizing transport routes, mode of transport selection, and strategic hubs.
Route selection
No single route is always going to be the fastest path from point A to point B. Factors, such as traffic jams, weather events, or restrictive schedules, mean that to truly be effective in delivering time-sensitive products, a logistics provider must be prepared to assess the available routes and select the correct one for the situation. Even in cases in which shipments are being sent utilizing a third-party vehicle — such as an airplane or a train, rather than an independently managed fleet — identifying the optimal shipping lane is critical to keeping transit time as low as possible.
There are a number of technological tools that can be used to inform routing decisions. For example, GPS enables real-time tracking that makes it possible to reroute a shipment when unexpected delays occur. Additionally, some logistics providers utilize online routing tools, such as route planning and optimization software, to assist in selecting the best path for a given time window, with up-to-date information on various factors that can impact transit time. Such technology can help in anticipating shipping needs and timing in a constantly shifting transportation environment.
Modes of transport
There are many different options for transporting a shipment, from planes and trains to fleets of delivery trucks and even cargo ships, each with their own advantages and drawbacks. Choosing which method is most appropriate depends on a number of considerations, such as the distance and time limit of a particular shipment. In the case of time-sensitive medicinal products, temperature is also a frequent concern — meaning that the chosen mode of transport needs to be able to support temperature control. Having access to various shipping options allows Yourway to select the one that will be best for a given situation.
It also becomes important to have a thorough knowledge of shipping regulations for various forms of transportation in different regions. The International Air Transport Association, for instance, has specific categorizations to determine which biological materials constitute dangerous goods, and has detailed packaging requirements for air transport. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Department of Transportation sets regulations for the ground transport of biological materials. Being prepared to meet the requirements and categorizations that apply to a given form of transport for a given time-sensitive shipment means fewer delays in the shipping process.
Strategic global networks
Another element that can support expeditious shipping is access to a strategic network of hubs, such as storage and shipment depots. These can assist with coordinating logistics, and provide temperature-controlled storage that can extend the ability to transport to a wider range of locations around the globe. Such facilities can also provide services that support the supply chain, such as secondary packaging and aliquoting specimens for further analysis, which means that time-sensitive material won’t need to spend additional time being transported to another, more distant, location for these services.
Yourway’s strategic relationships with clinical sites around the world are similarly advantageous. Scheduling pickup and delivery of biological samples takes a great deal of coordination. So, being able to leverage relationships with a nearby site to assist in the process enables greater efficiency and control. A large network of such sites means a greater likelihood of having a location near patients — who require time-sensitive material to be collected or delivered quickly — for which any reduction in transit time could have a significant health impact.
Going the distance on time
Flexibility and agility are the qualities that make it possible to transport biological samples from one coast to the other within a 24-hour time limit. With more than 20 years of experience transporting sensitive materials, Yourway has the strategies and resources to support time-sensitive deliveries within their required windows.
Find out more about Yourway’s biological sample shipment and logistics services: https://www.yourway.com/premium-courier/biological-sample-shipments