Find out how a contract packaging company can deliver the expertise and flexibility needed to ship pharmaceuticals internationally.

The global pharmaceutical sector is embarking on a transformational journey in which the supply chain will play an increasing strategic role. There will be a need for greater agility and improved speed to market – while ensuring compliance with myriad regulatory requirements in countries – forming a challenging landscape for the global pharma industry.

One of the drivers of this change is the merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the industry. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, M&A activity in the pharmaceutical sector surged in the second quarter of this year with 62 deals announced representing almost $170 billion of total value. Merging supply chains is a complex process, and anyone who questions the impacts should consider what happens when supply chains break down: Drugs are delayed to market, customers experience poor service, security and compliance risks heighten, and a host of missed opportunities occur.

Also impacting pharma supply chains are complexities around logistics and regulatory requirements. Logistics encompass the time from when the product is produced to when it is packaged and labeled to when it is distributed and includes special care regarding product shelf life, temperature control, storage, and shipping location. And from a regulatory standpoint, different government agencies have different opinions about approving drugs – some are approved in countries and some are not.