LogiPharma 2025 Blog

What are the challenges of providing smart, connected healthcare, and how can an IoT strategy overcome them?

In this exclusive wrap-up blog, we're excited to share Megan's takeaways of LogiPharma 2024 through the trusted lens of WBR Insights Supply Chain. Get ready to dive into her unique perspective on the key discussions, innovations, and developments that dominated the conversation.

LIVE at LogiPharma: Instilling an Enterprise Psychology of High Performance with Jamil Qureshi, World Leading Performance Psychologist

In an age when we seem to go through technology boom after technology boom, it’s hard to imagine one sticking out. However, IoT adoption, or the Internet of Things adoption, is leading the charge to dominate the next decade’s discussion around business IT. Below, we’ll discuss the current boom, what’s driving it, where it’s going, and which trends are shaping it.

Read more about our latest episode of the LogiPharma podcast to celebrate International Women's Day! WBR Insights' own podcast host Megan Smith sits down with industry trailblazer Dr Lana Burrell to hear more about her rise to the top of pharma supply chain and the mentors who have impacted her career along the way. 

The pharmaceutical industry is in flux. Rising costs, complex supply chains, and patient care concerns are just a few of the challenges keeping supply chain leaders up at night. But fear not, because the brand new LogiPharma Playbook 2024 is here to shed light on the trends and solutions shaping the future of pharma.

This time last year, the LogiPharma Podcast was just a working idea our Insights team were championing. Flashforward to a lot of research, and recording later, we have a full first season and built up a regular following. We are missing podcast release day just as much as you are, so we wanted to recap our incredibly successful first season and dive deeper into the insights our guests shared.

The pharmaceutical industry faces mounting pressure to minimise its environmental footprint. Packaging and shipping, in particular, offer significant space for progress. Traditional pallet shipper boxes come with hefty disposal costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Recognising this, many pharmaceutical companies are embracing a greener solution: reusable containers.

In the wake of the unprecedented global health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the development and distribution of vaccines became the beacon of hope for a world grappling with uncertainty. As various pharmaceutical companies and researchers worked tirelessly to create effective vaccines, the life sciences supply chain emerged as a critical lifeline to ensure the efficient and widespread distribution of these life-saving doses.

We surveyed 150 heads of supply chain and similar senior figures from the life sciences supply chain as part of our annual LogiPhjarma Sustainability Report. Here, we provide a sneak preview into the survey results ahead of publication in October. 

Marc Evrard from CSL Vifor speaks to the LogiPharma podcast, revealing his thoughts on drug shortages, supply chain visibility and a sustainable future for the industry.

As society becomes more conscious of environmental and social impacts, the need for sustainable practices in these sectors has gained significant momentum. What are large companies like Pfizer, GSK and Johnston and Johnston doing to pave the way forward for a greener future? 

As heatwaves and abnormally high temperatures continue to affect regions worldwide, understanding how the human body copes with extreme heat becomes crucial. Recently, researchers from the University of Roehampton in England conducted a study to investigate when the body starts to expend more energy to regulate its temperature at high temperatures.

Take a look at the round up of LogiPharma 2023!

Alzheimer's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, affects millions of people worldwide and poses a significant healthcare challenge. Over the years, researchers have made substantial progress in understanding and diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. One area of promising research involves the identification and utilisation of biomarkers.

The pharmaceutical supply chain’s complex and critical network ensures the safe and timely delivery of life-saving medications to patients around the globe. In this blog, we will explore the rich history of the pharmaceutical supply chain and delve into the transformative advancements that have shaped the industry.

In this month's roundup, we discuss creating industry 4.0 for pharmaceutical manufacturing, and the biggest challenges and trends in the pharma supply chain in 2023.

In their LogiPharma 2023 keynote presentation entitled ‘Redesigning your supply chain: How to boost patient and customer centricity: a case study from Roche’, George Beres and Lana Burrell discussed key insights from Roche’s ‘Voice of the Customer' research project, the importance of patient centricity, and the impact that at home delivery can have on the quality of the lives of patients.

One of the absolute highlights of LogiPharma 2023 was undoubtedly the final session of day one. In the Amphitheatre at the Centre de Congrès de Lyon, the audience witnessed a thought-provoking keynote about the Tham Luang Cave Rescue in Thailand by the man who led the rescue, John Volanthen.

At LogiPharma 2023, SKyCell's CEO Richard Ettl gave attendees an insightful case study on how SkyCell are tackling the impact that the life sciences supply chain has on the environment, and the true cost of going green.

Re-live day one of LogiPharma 2023 in Lyon where attendees immersed themselves in masterclasses, networking - and a moving keynote speech from a blockbuster guest.

In the packed-out conference room of track B onsite in Lyon at LogiPharma 2023, the audience of attendees were treated to a very in-depth and insightful case study speech by Antje Ritz, Director of Supply Chain Planning at Takeda, on ‘How to predict the unpredictable.’ In the session, Antje discussed demand planning in the light of shortages, early demand for launches and alignment across functions.

Key insights from our expert speakers live from LogiPharma in Lyon discussing all thing technology and digital trends

In this first edition of our monthly news roundups, we take a look at why the FDA are concerned with the pharmaceutical supply chain, the role that data will play in the future of a successful and resilient supply chain, and Controlant's growth taking the next step with their expansion into Denmark.

Uncover cutting-edge insights into how industry leaders are clearing the way for a zero-waste pharmaceutical supply chain, featuring industry-leading research data, and commentary from Viatris, CSL Vifor and GSK. 

Revolutionary cell and gene therapies are providing big challenges for the pharmaceutical supply chain. But with that comes exciting opportunities.

Cell and gene therapies are set to revolutionise the way we treat and prevent disease. But what are they, how do they work and just how transformative might they be?

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Mwepa Davis, the Supply Chain Operations Director at Elekta, to understand how Elekta has responded to geopolitical instability, changing consumer behaviour and the need to evaluate carrier networks.

Temperature-controlled specialist Tower is returning to LogiPharma in 2023 to showcase how pharmaceutical manufacturers are using its passive containers to improve their logistics infrastructure, in today’s sustainably inclined world. Visitors to Booth 71 & 72 at LogiPharma, held on April 25th – 27th 2023 at Centre de Congrès de Lyon, France, will have the opportunity to meet the team and see how Tower’s robust, reliable, reusable temperature-controlled solutions are significantly contributing to customers environmental credentials.

Abdallah El-Mosallamy sat down with us for an expert interview. As Senior Manager, Global Supply Chain Quality at GSK, Abdallah told us how heads of supply chain can build resilience against economic uncertainty and push forward sustainability goals.

As inflation continues to rise, heads of supply chain in the pharmaceutical industry are facing numerous challenges. Here is how they are navigating them.

Wegovy is set to take the UK by storm after being approved by the NHS. But who is eligible, how does it work and what are the side effects of the ground-breaking weight loss drug?

iSIM is a major theme throughout the latest edition of IoT Now’s quarterly industry report. The technology is rapidly gaining traction as consumers and businesses alike realise the technology’s potential to save costs, streamline operations, and enhance governance. We look at how this technology shapes business and consumer connectivity in multiple case studies, success stories, and analyses from industry insiders.

The 2023 LogiPharma Playbook provides insights from 200 senior figures in the European pharmaceutical supply chain industry, covering topics such as digital maturity, quality assurance, and carrier network optimisation. The playbook is sponsored by 7bridges, Oliver Wight, One Network Enterprises, and Kuehne+Nagel, and features expert insights from industry leaders such as Johnson & Johnson, Trilink Biotechnologies, and Advanced Bionics.

Pharmaceutical and medical devices giant Johnson & Johnson has gotten off to a flying start in 2018. The company recently reported higher-than-expected sales for Q1, and subsequently boosted its sales outlook for the year to $81 billion to $81.8 billion.

Philips Healthcare is revolutionising the medtech supply chain industry through a circular economy. By looking beyond tech to the customer experience of consumers, patients and providers, they are transforming the delivery of healthcare.

Medtronic and CEVA Logistics plan to provide world-class distribution services with a new distribution centre based in Holland. Offering a more effective delivery of healthcare resources and improving the supply chain for the industry.

The global medical device market is valued at US $434.4 billion, an annual average growth of 7.1% since 2012 – so it is unlikely that Amazon’s hungry glance will be deflected for long. However, there are some major hurdles to overcome before Amazon can carve out a space for itself in pharma.

As a provider of logistics and transportation services, AFKLMP Cargo is fully aware of the unique and complex challenges faced by the pharmaceutical industry and we are committed to providing reliable solutions. We understand the importance of getting life-saving drugs to patients quickly and efficiently, striving to deliver the solutions that our customers need to succeed.

Orphan drugs are starting to grow at a rate which is rapidly outpacing that of mainstream drugs and this previously peripheral pharma market is making investors sit up and pay attention.

The new drug, sabatolimab (MBG453), manufactured by Novartis to treat myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has just been granted orphan drug status by the European Commission.

Sanofi has recently announced that its landmark efanesoctocog alfa treatment for haemophilia A has been granted breakthrough therapy designation by the USA’s Food and Drug Administration.

The orphan drug market is growing rapidly and is predicted to continue along that trajectory in the future. Because these drugs are designed for very rare conditions and are unlikely to recoup the costs associated with their development, production, marketing, and, most crucially for our purposes, distribution, pharma brands must often seek subsidies from government to make them viable.

The best way to distribute vaccines to the furthest regions of the world has been a top priority for pharma brands since the onset of the global COVID-19 crisis. With supply chains suffering significant challenges as a direct result of the pandemic, the need for innovative solutions has rarely been more essential.

To meet the unprecedented volatility in the global supply chain market brought about by the COVID-19 crisis, Freightos Data – a subsidiary of the Freightos Group has made moves to provide increased levels of transparency and support decision making processes.

When pharma heavyweight, GlaxoSmithKline [GSK] was searching for a new distribution centre from which it could serve the pharmaceutical needs of the Southern Cone, it decided to turn to a country it knew could deliver on the high standards it expects.

Air freight is having a tough time of late. This is a section of the supply chain industry which has had the spotlight shone on it for some time due to its proportionally greater impact on the environment compared to sea freight, and things have only got more challenging from there.

A recent panel of pharmaceutical and logistics experts have called for fresh thinking in the wake of increased challenges around sea freight.

Much has been made of the need to supply less developed parts of the world with COVID-19 vaccines with many experts agreeing that until Africa is vaccinated, the crisis will never be truly over.

As one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical brands, Johnson & Johnson knows it needs to be seen to be doing its bit when it comes to creating a more sustainable world.

Supply chain woes have been topping the news agenda for a while now, with everything from the COVID-19 crisis to Brexit, and now the Russian invasion of Ukraine cited as reasons for product shortages and the struggles moving products from one part of the world to another. 

7bridges, the AI-powered logistics platform used by global businesses to transform their supply chains, has used their artificial intelligence to show how pharmaceutical businesses can reduce the carbon emissions of their operations by 51%.

We spoke with Graham Cromb, VP, UPS Healthcare Europe to discuss UPS Healthcare’s response to the pandemic, global vaccine distribution and how the challenges over the past two years have helped equip their healthcare network for the growing demand in biologics.

The temperature-controlled transportation of pharmaceuticals, life-science and biotech products is now even easier thanks to the latest launch from Tower Cold Chain – a robust lightweight handleable solution with the same reliable thermal protection and reusable durability of Tower’s container existing range.

Listening to customers’ needs, Tower Cold Chain has developed the KTEvolution, robust, reliable, and reusable cold chain solution, which can easily be carried by 1 or 2 people.

MAERSK PHARMA leads the way for Air to Ocean conversion – A RELIABLE SOLUTION

Supply chains are struggling with fragmentation of data, low visibility, and low levels of collaboration between partners, which is costly to organize. By using technology, we see an opportunity to support our customers’ evolving needs and future growth. Supply chains are struggling with fragmentation of data, low visibility, and low levels of collaboration between partners, which is costly to organize. By using technology, we see an opportunity to support our customers’ evolving needs and future growth.

As a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, Gilead Sciences Inc. has a vested interest in making sure its products are able to reach those who need them in the most effective manner possible. 

A consortium of public and private companies, including pharma industry titans such as GSK and AstraZeneca and tech brands such as Siemens have been awarded part of a £53 million grant from the UK Government’s UK Research and Innovation body and the Made Smarter initiative.

As the largest and most broadly based healthcare company in the world, Johnson & Johnson manufactures consumer health products, pharmaceuticals and medical devices in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and has been felling the supply chain challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic especially keenly.

The success of any business, small or large, depends on a number of factors, but for producers of products, few are more important than the strength and resilience of their supply chain networks.

Read on to discover what Katie Lanigan, European Logistics Manager at Accord Healthcare is looking forward to at her first ever LogiPharma, and where the current opportunities and priorities lie following two uncertain years…

We had the pleasure of catching up with Delphine Przenioslo, professional coach and former EMEA Supply Chain Director at P&G. Delphine’s unique perspective as a former supply chain leader means she understands the challenges faced by LogiPharma attendees, and therefore how they can unlock their own potential. Read on to discover her thoughts on disrupting your thinking and initiating transformation after a tumultuous few years.

Pharmaceutical giant, Johnson & Johnson has developed an Advanced Case Management [ACM] platform which uses a combination of image based and artificial intelligence algorithms to predict the product range most likely to be required for a primary joint replacement surgery.

A recent Global Data analysis of artificial intelligence jobs, deals, patents, and company filing mentions between October 2020 and September 2021 has placed Novartis as one of the top AI performers in the pharmaceutical industry today.

As one of the key players in the fight against the global COVID-19 crisis, Pfizer understands better than most the catastrophic impact the pandemic has had on our ability to move pharmaceutical products around the world.

The pharmaceutical supply chain business was already embracing digital transformation before COVID hit, but now adopting this technology has gone from being optional to essential and those brand without the resources or willingness to embrace it risk being left behind.

The vital role that temperature-controlled packaging plays in transporting pharmaceuticals around the world has been highlighted in a new white paper from Tower Cold Chain, with the aim of helping stakeholders find the right solution for their needs.

From current goals and rethinking supply chain design to working around global sourcing constraints, read on to discover what James Hiscock, Global Head of Supply Chain Planning & Execution, Vifor Pharma, makes of our questions ahead of his turn as a speaker at LogiPharma 2022

We spoke to Major General Christopher J. Sharpsten, Director Supply, Production and Distribution, Operation Warp Speed, ahead of this year’s LogiPharma in Nice (5-7 April). Operation Warp Speed was a public–private partnership initiated by the United States government to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Read on to discover how he played a crucial roll in vaccine deployment, plans for the future, and why he’s looking forward to attending LogiPharma 2022.

We caught up with Vimal Unewal, Head of In Market Supply, Ferring to discuss the importance of patient-centricity, the key ingredients to the supply chain of the future, and more.

We caught up with Chris Wallace, Senior Vice President Global Supply Chain at Clover Pharmaceuticals ahead of his appearance as a speaker at LogiPharma 2022. Read on to discover his observations on the effects of COVID, and plans for the future.

New White Paper: How Integrated Business Planning Can Help Companies Become Disruptors

MöInlycke Health Care Case Study: Providing protection through the pandemic

We caught up with Tomas Fant from Pfizer ahead of his turn as a speaker at LogiPharma 2022. From his current goals to upcoming challenges, read on to discover where the Senior Manager – Global Temperature Control Logistics is spending his time and directing his strategies.

Although almost 2 years since the pandemic brought supply chains to a standstill, the aftershocks are still being felt. We spoke to Stephen Mitchell, Compliance & Quality Manager at GSK, to see how he’s looking to the future

Watch the keynote interview at LogiPharma 2021 by Richard  Farquaharson, VP Global Head of Distribution & Logistics at AstraZeneca on 'How To Leverage Partnership, Establish Best Practive and Ensure The Well Being of Your Workplace Whilst Managing Significant Complexities and Disruptions'.

Watch the panel discussion at LogiPharma 2021 on 'Small to mid-size pharma& biotech lesson learned: How Can You Alter The Management Of Your Supply Chain Operations And Partnership Amidst Covid-19 To Maintain The Highest Levels of Patient Centricity'. 

The last two years have seen AstraZeneca go from pharmaceutical heavyweight to household name thanks to its production and distribution of one of the two primary COVID-19 vaccines being deployed around the world.

Roche has also been on a significant COVID related journey during the pandemic, hitting new height of public awareness when its high-volume SARS-COV-2 diagnostic test, capable of analysing 1,400-8,800 samples within 24h gained FDA approval during the preliminary stages of the crisis in 2020.

Another superstar of the COVID crisis, the geniuses at Pfizer has been working tirelessly to develop a new vaccine for the latest variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus – Omicron.

There is zero doubt that the COVID-19 crisis has put a serious strain on supply chains all over the world. From groceries to toys, there is hardly a single sector which has not found it incredibly difficult to achieve the, previously quite simple, task of moving products from one place to another.

Industry 4.0 is changing the face of manufacturing in almost every corner of the globe. Here’s how the pharmaceutical industry can make the most of these exciting new opportunities.

Reducing the time to market for medicine is a core goal of the pharmaceutical industry, and by playing its part in a new innovation centre GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is helping develop the new technologies and processes to get remedies to the people who need them more efficiently than ever.

As medical technology has advanced, mankind has been able to find cures for more and more of the diseases which plague us. From mass-immunisation to the successful blocking and treatment of the HIV virus, the pharmaceutical industry is creating new ways to help patients live full and active lives for longer.

Watch the case study at LogiPharma 2021 by Kite Pharma (Gilead) on ‘How to boldly redesign your manufacturing and distribution network to meet the requirements of the next generation of therapies’

Watch the panel discussion at LogiPharma 2021 on ‘Partnering for Personalised Medicine & Specialised Therapies: How can you create an operational paradigm shift to deliver products on time whilst meeting regulations?’

The COVID-19 crisis has posed a laundry list of challenges for the pharmaceutical logistics space. However, it has also given the opportunity for success and celebration – such as with the successful rollout of Pfizer’s lifesaving vaccine.

Now experts are saying that the mRNA technology which makes the Pfizer vaccine so effective, may open up the possibility for new personalised treatments in the field of oncology.

Data is the lifeblood of so many modern industries and can help drive business forward with the ability to make smarter and evidence backed decisions and gain greater insights into the end user.

With so many of the world’s rarest and hardest to treat diseases being caused by genetic defects, the ability to create and deliver personalised gene therapy treatments is the key to curing them forever.

Hopefully, you found our stories regarding some of the exciting developments in personalised medicine interesting. Now it’s time to get down to the business of how we actually deliver these treatments to healthcare providers and, ultimately, the patients who are counting on them.

Experts from Roche, GSK, Zoetis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda and Garvis got together at LogiPharma 2021 to discuss the 'fundamental 'must have' planning capabilities to ensure operational agility'

Watch the Keynote case study at LogiPharma 2021 by Gilead Sciences on 'How to successfully deliver integrated business planning across your global supply chain to increase efficiencies, save costs and meet the needs of your patients'

As one of the world’s largest health concerns, Malaria was responsible for an estimated 409,000 deaths in just one year – with children under five years old accounting for 67% of those deaths.

One of the more recent challenges to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis has been regarding how to make sure everyone around the globe that needs a vaccine has access to one.

Supply chain disruptions are causing stocks of Roche’s tocilizumab arthritis drug used to treat COVID-19 to run low and the WHO is urging the pharmaceutical giant to address the situation.

The pharma industry often lags behind others when it come to advanced logistics planning – especially during the COVID-19 crisis. Short-term supply issues often dominate the conversation, meaning long-term concerns such as capacity utilisation and inventory turnover rates can become side-lined.

Despite their size and global impact, it’s interesting the way brands such as Pfizer have only really become household names as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and their development of the vaccines and treatments which would eventually allow normalcy to start returning to our lives.

Johnson & Johnson believes human health and the health of the planet are not separate considerations, but rather depend on one another. This led the pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant to launch an $800 million Healthy Lives Mission in the latter part of 2020.

As one of the largest pharmaceutical brands in the world, Roche knows what it takes to achieve sustainability. This is evidenced by the fact the Swiss multinational healthcare company has been ranked as the most sustainable healthcare company in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index eleven times – most recently in 2020.

Of all the elements of the industrial world, supply chains arguably have the most potential to harm our environment and greatly contribute towards the climate crisis. Refrigeration, the consumption of fossil fuels, the generation of waste, and more are all strongly associated with supply chain business. However, this all means that the greatest potential to become greener and drive real sustainability also lies with supply chains, and perhaps nowhere is this more relevant than in the pharmaceutical industry.

Watch the panel at Logipharma 2021 on 'How Can You Establish Standards That Drive Forward Widespread Blockchain Adoption '

As one of the world’s leading producers of medicinal cannabis, Flora Growth understands all too well the importance of a modern and secure digital supply chain.

India’s Government eMarketplace (GeM) was launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2016 in an effort to make government procurement more open and transparent than was previously possible. And now the cashless and paperless procurement platform has turned its attention towards blockchain.

The UK Government and key players in the pharmaceutical industry have announced plans to create the countries first digital supply chain. The initiative will make use of blockchain technology and seeks to ensure that any future health crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic will be more effectively managed from a supply chain perspective.

The technology which underpins cryptocurrencies and blockchain has immense potential to transform the world of pharmaceutical supply chains and make them more efficient, transparent, and secure than ever before.

With the vaccine rollout gathering steam around the world and millions of people receiving their doses, it seems a good time to take a step back and see where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed. The COVID-19 has certainly been a learning experience and we need to take stock and see what obstacles we’ve faced and how we can learn from them going forwards.

It’s fair to say we’ve all been on a steep learning curve thanks to the COVID-19 crisis, but one facet which may not immediately spring to mind relates to cyber security. Cyber criminals have become incredibly skilled at identifying and exploiting the weak links in pharmaceutical supply chains.

Much has been reported regarding the success of the vaccine rollout in the UK, but there have also been criticisms levelled at all countries in the developed world regarding the relatively small number of vaccines being distributed among poorer nations.

The business of sending all kinds of goods and materials in and out of Ireland has been fundamentally altered by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistics providers in all industries are having to evolve the ways, completely and permanently, they do business to make sure essential products – such as vaccines and medicines – can keep flowing into the country.

Watch the panel & collaborative boardroom discussion at LogiPharma 2021 on 'How you were able to drive operational resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges presented by the global pandemic and how did preparations for other events – Brexit, geopolitical, scenario planning, supply chain security help?'.

Watch Danny Hendrikse, VP Intercompany Operations at Pfizer on the Keynote COVID 19 interview on 'How to design, establish and deliver a highly specialised supply chain for the distribution of mRNA vaccine, globally, at unprecedented scale.'

While most people have heard of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, not many people know about or understand blockchain – the technology which underpins them.

Continuing from our discussion on blockchain technology and its application in temperature-controlled pharmaceutical logistics, in order to effectively monitor the temperature of a shipment from source to end user, you need a reliable method of measurement.

One of the factors which made the COVID-19 crisis so hard to deal with, was how unprepared we were for a pandemic of this magnitude. While scientists had long suggested that viruses were the greatest threat to our species, and many had been making some preparations for an eventuality such as this, we were still woefully unprepared when SARS-COV-2 came knocking.

Temperature controlled logistics have been hitting the headlines like never before over the last year. If you had mentioned the term to the average person before 2020, they would have probably been able to deduce what it meant, but now everyone is keenly aware of just how critical this field of operations is.

Watch the panel discussion at LogiPharma 2021: ‘How can you work collaboratively with key stakeholders to capitalise upon the benefits of multi modal temp controlled logistics – particularly focusing upon sea freight - amidst capacity challenges?’ 

Watch Nina Nilsson, CRO at TSS’s case study presentation on ‘How to implement temperature monitoring solutions that automate manual process to drive efficiency and quality in cold chain operations’ at LogiPharma 2021.

We all know that the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has resulted in our supply chains being tested to breaking point. One must only recall the empty supermarket shelves of early 2020 to see how just the slightest disruption to our normal patterns of supply and demand can almost bring the whole thing crashing down.

One of the biggest challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the need to rollout a vaccination program to more people than ever before. Attempting to vaccinate just shy of eight billion people is no mean feat and the project has tested pharmaceutical supply chains to breaking point.

As one of the companies producing vaccines for the COVID-19 crisis, J&J has a special responsibility when it comes to making sure its supply chains continue to operate as smoothly as possible.

As one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical brands, Roche understands all too well how much energy it takes to keep life-saving medicines, vaccines, and its recently patented SARS-COV-2 variant test moving.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put businesses the world over on a steep learning curve and perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the field of pharmaceutical supply chains. The increased demand for crucial lifesaving equipment, vaccines, and drugs, combined with the need to keep workers and other stakeholders safe has created an enigma to challenge even the likes of Alan Turing.

However, we are fortunate to be living in an age of unprecedented technological availability, which it’s fair to say has taken a significant amount of the sting out of COVID’s tail.

As one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical brands, Johnson & Johnson has been in the vanguard of the pandemic response since the very beginning of the crisis. To achieve its goals, the pharma giant has been deploying several innovative tools and processes to make sure its life saving products get where they need to be.

As the world’s largest biotech company, Roche has a responsibility to make sure it sets an example to others in the industry at all levels of its operations. To further this goal, it has recently deployed OMP’s digital supply chain planning solution.

When is a CMO not a CMO? If CMOs want to succeed, it is time for them to dissociate themselves from the ‘CMO’ label, and change their mindsets to succeed in their region and to grab market share.

Pharmaserv Logistics´ pharma distribution centre for storing, x-raying and packing pharmaceutical airfreight within Rhine-Main has opened in 06/2020.

PharmaLedger is a three-year project (2020-2022) that aims to bring an innovative blockchain-based platform to implement across the healthcare ecosystem to better instill trust, transparency, data privacy, and patient empowerment.

After receiving authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use of its single-shot vaccine against COVID-19, Johnson & Johnson is now facing up to the logistical challenges of making good on its promise to deliver 100 million doses of the drug to patients in the US during the first half of 2021.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been authorised for the prevention of the virus in individuals aged 16 and above, by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA). More broadly, there remains a huge demand for the Pfizer treatment and other COVID-19 drugs in poorer and more remote parts of the world, where temperature control becomes difficult.

During the first quarter of 2021, WBR Insights surveyed 100 Directors of Supply Chain Management and similar positions from pharmaceutical companies across Europe, to discover what challenges they are facing in 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19, and the innovative solutions they are putting in place. Chief among the issues highlighted by the respondents were a reduction in sales, stock shortages, and a loss of visibility over parts of their supply chain.

New container with -15°C to -25°C operating range addresses market niche and provides customers with consistency, efficiency, and ease of use.

SkyCell, the leading manufacturer of data-driven temperature-controlled hybrid containers for the pharmaceutical industry, has developed the new 1500F container, the eighth container in its robust product suite covering all temperature ranges for the high value pharmaceutical product transportation. The 1500F, which works across temperatures from minus 15° Celsius to minus 25° Celsius, offers a specialised solution for this growing niche market segment.

Technology company develops safe and efficient container, enabling 10x volume of current deep frozen solutions

SkyCell, the leading manufacturer of data-driven temperature-controlled smart containers for the pharmaceutical industry, has developed an ultra-cold smart container that will ensure the safe transportation of COVID-19 vaccines around the world, regardless of outside temperatures.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the world in a little under a year; the global supply chain was one of the first sectors to feel the pinch.

Local and regional shutdowns, trained employees who were out sick, and product shortages/outages all played a part in revealing how fragile the supply chain truly is.

We had the pleasure of chatting to Mirko Senatore, Senior Director Global Supply Chain Lead at Pfizer, about how his role has changed in the last 12 months, adapting to new ways of working under increased demand while still meeting patient and customer needs, and what he’s looking forward to at LogiPharma 2021.

We caught up with Berit Lindholm, CEO at Bluefish Pharma, to discuss how her day to day work has been impacted by the pandemic, how remote teamworking has had to evolve, and how she’s looking forward to evaluating whether Brexit learnings stand us in good stead to handle other global events.

Ahead of LogiPharma 2021, we spoke to Christophe Suizdak, VP Supply Chain, Cytiva, to discuss how his role has changed in the wake of COVID-19, developments in drug development and more.

We sat down with Dave Malenfant, Director Centre for Supply Chain Innovation, TCU Neeley School of Business to discuss his involvement in LogiPharma this year, alongside how the pharma industry has been impacted by COVID-19, and the importance of innovative solutions to keep up with demand.

As part of its response to COVID 19, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is collaborating with several partners in accelerating the development of promising vaccines, by providing access to its patented adjuvant technology. An adjuvant is a substance which, when added to some vaccines, enhances the immune response, promoting stronger and longer lasting immunity against infection.

In its efforts at manufacturing and distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer draws upon one of the most sophisticated supply chain systems in the industry, spanning over 40 sites and a worldwide network of over 200 suppliers.

With the cost of global healthcare provision expected to reach US $10 trillion by 2022, organisations are under pressure to increase productivity and improve efficiency, while adapting to new regulations and data privacy laws.

AbbVie is a research-based, global biopharmaceutical company which discovers and delivers medicines and treatments across a range of disciplines including neuroscience, eye care, women’s health, and immunology.

Besides precipitating changes in working practices and a worldwide shift to digital platforms and commerce, COVID-19 is forcing many organisations and sectors -- including the pharmaceutical industry -- to rethink and reconfigure their global supply chain models. At the same time, changing market dynamics are putting pressure on pharmaceutical organisations to respond to consumer demands for patient-centric practices and personalised experiences.

It’s fair to say that the coronavirus outbreak has caught the world off guard. As governments and industry continue to feel the crisis out and come up with the best solutions to its challenges, many people are left with more questions than answers.

Merck & Co starts ongoing research to stock and centre parts of its medical supply chain locally in London in anticipation of post Brexit setbacks in trade.

An equal opportunity leader in supply chain industry, Baxter fosters diversity in the workplace through inclusivity training to remove unconscious bias.

Digitising the supply chain has improved efficiency, but people matter too! Leo Pharma had implemented a solution to bring back system usability.

Blockchain tech has been gaining traction as a possible solution for the perennial problems associated with healthcare: the under-utilisation and segregation of valuable data, trails for following patient records and other essential information, general data handling, compliance,and data security issues.

Diverse and inclusive leadership provides greater opportunities for innovation and higher performance in financial returns. And as a leading business sector which touches the lives of everyone, the pharmaceutical and biotech industry should be seen as a globally dispersed but locally driven industry.

If pharma brands are unable to establish end-to-end visibility in their supply chains, it becomes very difficult, or even impossible, for them to accurately determine the origin, authenticity, and condition of any product passing through it.

In 2017 Eli Lilly was looking for a way to develop a next-generation glucose monitoring system. The company decided on a device-driven strategy and partnered with Dexcom to help develop it. The goal of the project was to help Eli Lilly get closer to patients and, rather than being a simple provider of insulin medicine.

Merck’s foray into the world of drone-facilitated delivery began in 2018 when Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria. Estimates vary, but it’s thought the disaster led to the deaths of nearly 3,000 people, and a year later, tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans are still living under temporary shelters of blue tarpaulin.

The future of healthcare is set to be replete with technology, from AI to smart health devices and mobile wellness management. As it opens its brand-new innovation hub in Manhattan, NYC, Johnson & Johnson is ready to bring medicine and technology together in ever-more innovative ways.

As rising drug prices continue to steal headlines, UK-based multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has joined forces with a number of other pharma companies in freezing prices in the US for the remainder of 2018.

The UK’s impending withdrawal from the European Union is sending shockwaves through almost every industry, and the pharmaceutical business is no different. This has led to companies such as Novartis taking steps to lessen the impact.

You might think keeping the patient at the center of consideration would be a no brainer for pharma companies, but in the swirling tumult of regulation, economics, logistics, and management, this noble ideal can sometimes fade into the background.

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0 as it’s known, refers to the fourth major paradigm shift which has occurred in production. The first revolution came with the introduction of water and steam powered machines, the second with electrically powered mass production and assembly lines, and the third saw computers and automation further streamline processes.