Press contact
Would you like to write about SkyCell or schedule an interview? Please reach out to our Communications team for any media requests at pr@skycell.ch
At this year’s LogiPharma, our Head of Sales (EMEA), Radek Samsonowicz was joined by Ruud van der Geer, Director Logistic Solutions & EMEA Product Handling at MSD, in an engaging conversation on how to leverage digitally integrated partnerships to build a fully connected ‘plant-to-patient’ supply chain.
Radek and Ruud began their discussion by talking about what emerged as one of the main themes of LogiPharma 2024: global disruptions and future challenges in the pharma industry. These obstacles include product sensitivity, permacrisis, sustainability, supply chain intricacies, geopolitical issues, and climate change are only becoming more complex as time goes on.
The question is how to handle this? Radek and Ruud emphasized the importance of building resilience in the supply chain and not just reacting to these global changes but preparing for them while balancing cost and CO2 goals.
Stretched Timelines in Pharma
Ruud discussed the growing trend in pharmaceutical timelines of longer development and manufacturing processes and how products can take up to three years to be released to the market. As the timeline to product release grows, any failures within the supply chain can have a huge financial cost.
A temperature excursion or supply chain failure can potentially result in two to three years of loss from a value chain perspective. With such financial pressure, there is no room for mistakes, and pharma companies need to reach their goals.
Undoubtedly, they also discussed the real impact these issues can have on the people who matter the most: their patients. As Ruud clearly phrased it: “Every dose is a patient.” For every single dose shipped, a patient is waiting at the end of the supply chain. This means any dose not delivered and subsequently not administered could negatively impact a person’s life. The pressure to maintain a high standard in the supply chain is huge.
In the coming decade, the growing elderly population will intensify the demand for healthcare, particularly life-saving medicines. Failure to meet this demand is not an option, emphasizing the critical need for change in the industry.
Preparing for the Future
Radek then posed the question to Ruud about how companies can prepare for this. According to Ruud, the key is to have a long-term vision. Companies need to be forward-looking and find solutions that will maintain the same level of access and quality while helping them reach their CO2 and cost goals far into the future.
To find these solutions, pharma and supply chain companies need to be at the forefront of researching new technology, assessing challenges and trends, and understanding public perception and opinions on the pharmaceutical industry.
Next, they discussed how digitally integrated partnerships like that between MSD and SkyCell can help. Ruud stressed that companies need not just visibility over their supply chain and the ability to respond to events but also the ability to predict the outcome of their responses. This combination of visibility and predictability will allow them to reduce risk and successfully intervene when needed.
Ruud highlighted that over the past year, MSD tracked over half a billion doses through visibility and container solutions. MSD was also able to carry out 75 successful interventions, resulting in approximately $40 million saved, not to mention the high number of patients reached that otherwise would not have received doses.
Wrapping up, Radek brought up the need for temperature monitoring evolution. Many companies are still using technology that hasn’t changed in years to monitor their products, resulting in low visibility and temperature excursions. That’s why MSD and SkyCell are collaborating closely for end-to-end visibility and control with the aim of 100% visibility.
Future-Ready Solutions
At SkyCell, we have listened closely to our partners to understand the unique challenges of transporting temperature-sensitive medicine. In response, our solutions have been developed with safety, security, and sustainability at their core.
SkyCell hybrid containers have been independently assessed to have a temperature excursion rate of under 0.05% while reducing CO2 emissions by up to 50%. Our SkyMind platform is designed to add visibility and predictability to your supply chain, maximizing cost efficiency and minimizing risk while aiding your company in its decarbonization goals.
If you’d like to discuss how SkyCell could help you digitally transform your supply chain, please reach out to Radek today.