World Courier is pleased to announce that its newest clinical trial supply chain services (CTSCS) investigational drug storage depot will open in May 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina after having moved to larger purpose-built premises in response to strong customer demand. The ultra-modern 37,000ft² (3,400m²) facility is currently undergoing external audits and customer visits in preparation for its opening early next month.

"Customer demand for clinical trial storage in Argentina and throughout Latin America continues to remain very strong," says Carlos Jankowski, global executive director for World Courier’s CTSCS Division. "An increasing number of pharmaceutical clients are recognising the benefits that our local distribution solutions have provided over the past seven years including lower costs, fewer import permits and clearances, shorter lead times and consistent on-time deliveries, all managed by a single supplier within a fully GxP-compliant environment."

This is World Courier’s third major expansion in Buenos Aires since its first depot opened in 2005 and will quadruple the storage capacity of the former facility.

Other CTSCS expansions

World Courier has also undertaken other significant expansions throughout its CTSCS network over the past year.

The company’s 13th and largest facility opened in Singapore last September and now delivers the most comprehensive ‘one-stop’ ICH- and GxP-compliant transport, storage and distribution services currently available in Asia. The 135,000ft² (12,500m²) storage facility accommodates over 800 clinical trial protocols in a state-of-the-art temperature-secure environment. Strategically situated adjacent to Changi Airport, one of Southeast Asia’s most active aviation hubs, it meets both local and intra-regional distribution needs.

Another of World Courier’s newer CTSCS facilities − a 25,000ft² (2,300m²) facility located in Tokyo, Japan − is now actively engaged in providing logistics services to the local clinical trial industry, offering customers direct access to the world’s second largest pharmaceutical market.

Company CTSCS facilities in São Paulo (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Beijing (China), Bogotá (Colombia), Bengaluru (India), México City (México), Lima (Perú), Moscow (Russia) and Johannesburg (South Africa) have all similarly expanded, or are in the process of expanding their physical capabilities to meet increased client demand. All facilities are fully GMP-compliant, are staffed by full-time licensed pharmacists and host separate validated storage for controlled ambient (+15°C to +25°C), refrigerated (+2°C to +8°C), frozen (-20°C) and deep frozen (-70°C) product and materials.

"By bringing together infrastructure, knowledge, expertise and process control into a ‘single-supplier’ distribution model, we are helping researchers shorten their distribution timelines, reduce risk and minimise costs while assuring quality and regulatory compliance in some of the world’s most challenging and distant locations," says Wayne Heyland, president of the World Courier group of companies. "We remain committed to delivering the solutions our customers need, both now and in the future."