DHL bags Wyeth logistics contract

It is no surprise that Wyeth is the first pharma company to make such a move. The company is a huge proponent of outsourcing in order to stay competitive and its business model is now based around the principle of outsourcing or off-shoring anything that is not a core function.

According to DHL, Wyeth is hoping the new arrangement will increase efficiencies within its clinical trial materials distribution process by "uniting the flow of information and physical goods through automation and improved collaboration."​

It will also enable each step of medical material transfer to be visible and monitored from product development to trial to consumption, providing Wyeth with improved visibility and control of its clinical shipments, said DHL.

Under the deal, the terms and length of which were not disclosed, DHL will oversee and co-ordinate the logistics of Wyeth's clinical material shipments and processes throughout multiple distribution channels across the globe, as well as the warehousing of materials.

Together, Wyeth and DHL will create a closed-loop clinical trial materials supply chain to streamline track and trace capabilities, financial and performance indicators and operational process flows.

Commenting on the arrangement, Ira Spector, vice chief of operations in clinical development at Wyeth Research said: "We believe this unique collaboration has the potential to reduce the logistical complexity of our clinical trial operations by providing a leading global infrastructure, and expertise in logistics solutions within the life science industry."​

"Our goal is for DHL to significantly streamline our clinical trials logistics operations, improve our clinical trial logistical analysis and rationalisation of related warehouse optimisation, and encompass services provided to our research organisation and third party service providers."​