< PreviousLOGISTICS 30 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net T he major challenges of logistics have continued to intensify following Coronavirus- connected disruptions and Brexit, with growing port congestion and labour shortages, strikes, the ‘Great Resignation’, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and soaring fuel, freight, and energy prices amongst other increasing costs. Supply chain chaos has given rise to a plethora of problems including raw material shortages and a fresh wave of counterfeiting by those taking advantage of disruption, adding to long-existing issues such as temperature control failures. With myriad uncertainties and difficulties to overcome, and next-gen therapies bringing new complexities, an efficient supply chain and stringent planning is essential, utilising modern technology to improve pharma logistics, to allow goods to reach customers and patients and maintain product safety. Use of analytics, data, and digital twins to inform decision making, smart sensors for better visibility, automation and AI to address labour shortages, and digitised processes overall are chief among these, enhancing logistics processes, whether this be in transport, handling or storage. Here Pharma Business International dives into a few of these pieces of tech and some of their applications. With the pharma industry’s supply chain often complicated and globe-crossing, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors are being wielded within logistics to gain insight into and verify what is happening as products travel through the supply chain. While in the past logistics generally relied on paper records and manual checks, smart sensors can constantly monitor shipments, equipment, product environment, and more, sharing real time data and enhancing visibility in a sector where a lack of this can rapidly lead to poor planning and predictions, and hindered decision making, increasing risk and waste. Though smart sensors can be used to gather information at any time, they also offer real time alerts to any shifts in conditions to allow quick action to prevent failures that could harm the bottom line and disrupt the flow of sensitive goods. As drugs have strict parameters surrounding their storage, manufacturing, and transportation, any deviation could see significant batch loss. With a wide breadth of applications, IoT sensors could be used with products on the move or in storage to indicate where they are, if there is a harmful change in temperature, humidity, light, or other elements or shocks that could damage goods, highlight abnormalities in equipment and machinery before they The future of logistics With the complexity of pharma logistics only growing, investing in modern technology is critical. 32 Á 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 10/10/2022 13:24 Page 1Pharma Business International 31 www.pbiforum.net LOGISTICS © stock.adobe.com/gearstd 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 10/10/2022 13:25 Page 2LOGISTICS 32 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net become noticeable to allow for maintenance, and IoT sensors can also send alerts of when items leave certain areas to assure managers that goods are moving as planned or indicate possible delays. Furthermore, sensors on vehicles can be applied to monitor and collect data on speed, fuel consumption, tyre pressure, driver behaviour, et al., to improve these, which all impact emissions, a crucial consideration in transport logistics today. Enabling better tracking and monitoring in real time, smart sensors provide a wealth of data and facilitate real time analytics and actionable insights, giving the power to make business decisions that impact profitability and continually optimise operations. In collecting data from sensors and presenting it concisely, a holistic approach to logistics management is offered. With such a large pool of data now available to logistics professionals thanks to IoT technology, for its use cloud supply chain applications and scalable cloud architecture are vital, for live access, continuous updates such as on stock levels, for processing sensor data, sending it to the end user through a desktop or smartphone application, and allowing for access to information from anywhere and real time data exchange to facilitate decision making. Concurrently, integrating tech like AI and machine learning is critical for analysing sensor data for insights, spotting small details, patterns and trends, and to unlock the value in this data to drive improvements and better management decisions. Cloud-based software has wide applications for logistics businesses and can streamline their workflows, store and share information quicker and more securely. Myriad aspects can be integrated in the cloud from order management to transport management, visibility, and back-office processes. Cloud can bring together and offer all the physical logistics and digital technology that are required in a scalable way and has the ability to host applications that automate processes. While AI and machine learning can analyse data from sensors throughout the supply chain to enhance logistics, they also present other opportunities to boost profit and productivity. With calculation of demand fluctuations becoming more complex, AI can consider real-time data from multiple sources on sales, seasonal fluctuations, and abnormal demand, and uncover patterns, anomalies, and forecast inventory needs to enable efficient management and for patients to obtain reliable access to therapies. Moreover, with external traffic data, road conditions and weather, AI can provide information on the best transport routes and do so in real time, and going further, AI-driven platforms can notify stakeholders in preparation for product arrival. Public health surveillance data can also be used by AI to generate accurate analyses and projections of potential infectious disease outbreaks, which companies can use to adjust operations accordingly, to optimise manufacturing and distribution of certain drugs to impacted areas. AI of course has a place in automating many repetitive tasks and back-office work too, something that should be high on the agenda for logistics professionals looking to bolster reliability of distribution and efficiency of facilities. Hyper automation is core to future proofing logistics, reducing human handling and error, and it is being implemented across the entire chain, whether this involves procurement, demand planning, training, fulfilment and more, making for a more dependable supply chain. Robotics and automation such as autonomous mobile robots are being employed to lower labour expenses, enhance productivity, repeatability, material movement, quality and compliance, and can offer end to end tracking of goods. Meanwhile solutions like robotic process automation can be exploited to automate repetitive inventory management processes like data entry and data processing, helping optimise the process. Systems tracking inventory for example can utilise computer vision to record inventory data without error, automatically identifying contents of pallets, and bypassing tedious data entry, enabling products to be tracked at every stage by scanning them. Software can be further connected to dashboards to provide notifications on product status in real time, including information on expiration and location. These represent just a handful of the opportunities for increased automation in logistics. A virtual representation of a physical object or supply chain, digital twins are also helping in logistics planning. This could for instance replicate a warehouse, inventory, vehicle, or product. Though in the past trial and error were widely used in logistics to test scenarios and changes to these, managers can now employ visual simulations and undertake advanced, predictive scenario modelling for a cost-effective and safe method of gathering invaluable intelligence. What if scenarios can be modelled where disruption may occur, with actions and outcomes indicated. This technology 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 10/10/2022 13:25 Page 3Pharma Business International 33 www.pbiforum.net LOGISTICS Tower to bring the temperature of pharmaceutical logistics to CPhI Temperature-controlled containers that combine robust, reliable, and reusable benefits for the pharmaceutical supply chain will be showcased on the Tower Cold Chain stand, 91H66, zone ICSE, at this year’s CPhI worldwide, in Frankfurt. As first-time exhibitors at CPhI, Tower will use the world’s premier event for the pharmaceutical industry, to demonstrate the new passive KTEvolution container – the company’s first manually handleable solution ideal for smaller shipments such as direct-to- patient, clinical trials and last-mile deliveries. Visitors to the Tower stand will see how the revolutionary KTEvolution offers easy, cost-effective, and compliant transport of pharmaceuticals, life-science and biotech products that require an internal temperature of <-60°c, -20°c, +5°c, or +20°C. Using phase-change technology incorporated with lightweight vacuum insulated panels, the KTE achieves its long-term thermal protection, whilst maintaining Tower’s commitment to sustainability. The KTEvolution will be exhibited alongside the KT400 Tower Flexi Fit container – one of Tower’s most popular solutions, allowing for a multitude of different pharmaceutical packaging alternatives to be transported safely, simply, and easily. might be wielded to predict the impacts of process changes before implementing them, identify bottlenecks, or assess the impact of alterations to temperature, humidity, oxygen, and CO2 levels on products, to gain insights for planned changes and find solutions when unwanted ones could threaten quality and safety. On a grander scale companies are creating digital twins of entire road and © stock.adobe.com/leowolfert rail networks. With digital twins, those handling pharma logistics can prepare contingency plans for supply chain failures, disruptions, and supply-demand fluctuations to optimise operations. 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 10/10/2022 13:25 Page 4CPHI 1 - 3 November Frankfurt, Germany CPHI Frankfurt is considered the go-to event for any pharma professional wanting to stay relevant and up-to-date in a rapidly changing industry. With the entire pharma industry present from across the full supply chain, it is the best place to source, connect and learn exactly what you need to help your business grow. Onco Cell Therapy Summit Europe 2 - 3 November Amsterdam, The Netherlands Europe is a powerhouse of research, but has been struggling to keep pace with development in the US. Get multiple perspectives in panels on how to attract investment from C-suite executives and investors themselves, and explore European regulatory and reimbursement challenges for the cell therapy field. This is your unique opportunity to: meet with 200+ of Europe’s leading innovators and investors, to drive partnership and collaboration and drive adoptive cell therapies to the market; address durability, reduce exhaustion, and build in optimal approaches for targeting antigen heterogeneity to hit the tumour microenvironment; explore genome-editing, iPSC-derived approaches and management strategies for chromosomal abnormalities and Pharma EVENTS © stock.adobe.com/ Gorodenkoff 34 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net derived components to prevent or treat human diseases or make medical diagnosis. 4th Annual Gene Therapy Analytical Development 28 November - December 1 Boston, USA The past twelve months have culminated translocations for allogeneic cell therapy development; establish robust, scalable and flexible vein-to-vein processes to enhance just in time delivery of cell therapies. GRx+Biosims 2022 7 - 9 November North Bethesda, USA GRx+Biosims 2022 is the premier scientific and regulatory event for the U.S. generics and biosimilars industry, featuring timely programming relevant to technical, regulator and policy professionals. Bench scientists and technical professionals can gain insights from drug regulators to help expedite approvals and speed to market, and learn about the latest innovations and emerging technology. Policy professionals, industry professionals and regulators have the opportunity to network with others in the industry and gain a fuller understanding of how regulations affect the real world. In addition, connect with global influencers, increase your knowledge base to stay on the cutting edge and learn about best practices to enhance your organization’s overall performance. Microbiome Connect USA 16 - 17 November Boston, USA The 7th Annual Microbiome Connect: USA 2022 is dedicated to showcasing the leading drug development platforms applying microbes, microbe modulators and microbial- © stock.adobe.com/vchalup CRISPR 2.0 29 November - 1 December Boston, USA The CRISPR 2.0 Summit is devoted to showcasing only the latest and greatest innovations by uncovering how the next generation of CRISPR tools are radically enhancing efficacy, minimizing off-target effects & enabling efficient tissue-specific delivery to help you progress your program into and through the clinic. Across three days of content, carefully co-designed with industry thought leaders, this streamlined one-track summit will unite key players in the CRISPR space, from large pharma to ground-breaking biotech, academics to exciting service providers, all with the purpose of paving a way forward to market for your CRISPR gene editing program. 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 10/10/2022 13:25 Page 1in an unprecedented level of excitement, investment, and clinical progress within the gene therapy field. As the field strives to strike a delicate balance between safety and efficacy, in the context of increased regulatory scrutiny and safety challenges, attending the 4th Annual Gene Therapy Analytical Development as an analytical scientist has never been so important. This year’s summit returns in-person to Boston to reunite 300+ analytical experts in innovative biotech, pharma and academia to continue to develop resilient, long-lasting and robust analytical tools to enhance the safety, quality and efficacy of gene therapy products. Tumour Models 7 - 8 December London, UK As we continue to see exciting preclinical and clinical updates in novel combination immuno-oncology and cell-based therapies from drug developers, including the likes of Editas Medicine, Sanofi, BMS, Basilea, demand for advanced, well characterised and validated in vivo and 3D models surges. After 2 years of disruption, the 11th Tumour Models London is back to serve drug developers, leading academics and model providers this December. This industry-led summit is the only forum dedicated to Preclinical and Translational scientists to engage and discuss strategies and technology advancements to overcome current model limitations, and more importantly share novel model engineering and validation approaches to support clinical design. www.pbiforum.net Pharma Business International 35 © stock.adobe.com/Volha Lab Innovations 2 - 3 November Birmingham, UK Lab Innovations returns to the NEC, Birmingham on 2 & 3 November 2022, bringing the entire laboratory science industry together for the 10th time – it’s set to be the celebration of the decade! At the show, the industry will meet to launch its products and innovations to the UK’s leading gathering of lab professionals, suppliers, and manufacturers. Lab professionals across all sectors will be able to discover sustainable lab initiatives, secure the latest tech, join exciting free conferences to earn CPD points and explore new ways of future- proofing labs. Supported by some of the UK’s top science institutions, it is a key event for powering the business of science. Don’t miss the opportunity to be at the heart of the laboratory community. Pharmacovigilance World 2022 22 - 23 November Online The Pharmacovigilance World 2022 conference will provide a platform for participants to discuss, share and stay updated with present state of affairs in Pharmacovigilance and Drug safety, and how it contributes to the public health. It will also allow all its participants to interact with the experts, discuss the various developments, challenges faced and innovations in the field. The conference will bring-forth the participants and the representatives from various fields of pharmacovigilance and drug safety under a common umbrella, and will provide them an opportunity to network with various industry professionals including pharmaceuticals, biologics, devices, CROs and PV service providers. 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 10/10/2022 13:25 Page 2FEATURES End of Year Success Stories / 2022 round-up Finance and Investment Depositors and Filling Process Control and Automation Outsourcing Next issue: Deadline - 23rd November 2022 REGULARS News Events M&A Round-up Eye On Approvals Visit us at www.pbiforum.net where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inbox, in between digital issues? @pbiforumwww.pbiforum.netcompany/pbiforum 36.qxp_Layout 1 10/10/2022 13:26 Page 1Next >