FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, has unveiled its ‘FedEx Life Science Center’ in Mumbai, setting a benchmark in the clinical trial supply chain in India and globally.
The new capability will meet and support the clinical trial storage and logistics requirements of healthcare customers both within the India market and those shipping to India from around the world. The facility has ensured compliance with quality and regulatory requirements of the healthcare industry.
Key features of the new FedEx Life Science Center include:
- Covering all three temperature-controlled zones
- Controlled Ambient (15°C to 25°C)
- Refrigerated (2°C to 8°C)
- Frozen -20°C and Deep Frozen -80°C
- 24/7 monitoring and alarms for immediate response and intervention.
- Destruction services for returned Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs).
- Equipped with document storage and a secure archival facility with fire-safe walls.
- Quality management system compliance to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) & Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
- Use of gel pack and dry ice for secure packing and replenishment.
- Backup power generator
- Implementation of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards in labeling and validated packaging solutions.
- A centralized monitoring system to ensure temperature and humidity integrity.
- Enhanced security meeting earthquake resistance standards.
Nitin Navneet Tatiwala, Vice President of FedEx Express, Marketing, Middle East, India Sub-continent & Africa (MEISA) said, “With FedEx having deep expertise in handling critical clinical trial shipments, the launch of FedEx Life Science Center (LSC) will act as a one stop shop for all clinical trial storage and distribution requirements of healthcare customers in India. The new center is in addition to FedEx’s current LSCs in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the USA, and the Netherlands – making it a global network of storage and distribution depots to support our healthcare and pharmaceutical customers.”
FedEx, at present, offers door-to-door delivery across more than 6,000 postal codes within India for time-critical and temperature-controlled healthcare shipments. This service ensures express delivery within 24 to 48 hours in major metropolitan areas such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad[1]. FedEx has invested in a robust global healthcare supply chain with over 90 cold-storage facilities worldwide to acknowledge the diverse compliance and distribution needs.
For the transportation of critical pharmaceutical freight shipments, customers can leverage FedEx Customized Freight (FCF). This premium service is designed to prioritize product integrity and ensure that criticality is not compromised. FCF offers a range of features, including highest boarding priority, end-to-end custodial control, 24/7 proactive monitoring and in-transit intervention, and dedicated first/last mile delivery options. Notably, this service also provides temperature-controlled shipping options as well as dedicated quality and regulatory support that is critical for their healthcare products that are in transit.
Customers also have the option to choose FedEx Priority Alert Plus™ for the monitoring of their time-sensitive shipments. In the event of a delivery delay, customers receive personalized guidance. This service also provides additional options like dry-ice replenishment, gel-pack exchange, and cold storage. Currently, FedEx Priority Alert™ is accessible in over 70 countries or regions, including India.
