CSafe, Cloudleaf partner on cold-chain tracking tech
Temperature-controlled container specialist CSafe Global has tapped digital is joining with supply-chain technology firm Cloudleaf to partner on a digital visibility platform to support its track-and-trace technology. The newly created platform reportedly will provide around-the-clock data access to enable customers to protect their medicines and make informed decisions.
CSafe reportedly has been developing and implementing track-and-trace solutions into their Air Cargo container fleet for approximately two years. The team sought a software partner to help customize a digital platform, with the ability to integrate multiple tracking devices for full visibility for customers.
Tom Weir, COO of CSafe, told Outsourcing-Pharma, “Our team worked tirelessly to evaluate and select the right partner for our new track and trace product offering. The team researched various different digital supply chain software companies and scored each company’s ability to fit our requirements.”
Mahesh Veerina, president and CEO of Cloudleaf, told OSP solutions like these can help pharma companies avoid costly losses associated with medicines falling outside of acceptable ranges.
Avoiding costly losses
“The biopharma industry loses close to $35b every year due to failures in temperature-controlled logistics; these losses can be attributed to substandard practices surrounding transporting and storing temperature-sensitive products such as vaccines, blood, tissue, and pharmaceutical drugs,” he said. “The $35b figure includes lost product, clinical trial loss and replacement costs, as well as logistics costs.”
The Cloudleaf digital visibility platform uses the internet of things (IoT), analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cloud computing. The combined technologies are harnessed to use cases such as cold-chain management, asset tracking and condition monitoring.
“The platform is the collection point to track, monitor and analyze multiple data streams, alerting stakeholders of the movement, status, location and condition of the elements fundamental to their areas of responsibility,” Veerina explained. “Pharmaceutical, biotech and life sciences companies use Cloudleaf to collect data in real time about these time-sensitive products and environmental conditions, resulting in increased FDA compliance and dramatically decreased waste.”
The platform creates a digital “twin” of a supply chain, processing billions of data points each second. This data reportedly helps deliver diagnostic and predictive insights, including real-time location information, condition, utilization and anomaly detection; customers can use this information to anticipate problems before they occur, improve processes, tighten inventory management, and reduce compliance excursions.
Work in progress
Weir told OSP the company has planned two phases of pilot testing on the new solution. The first is testing integration of the hardware within the containers and how well they communicate with the platform—he reports the team already has ended up with 12 successful shipments, domestic and international.
“All look great and the containers have functioned flawlessly,” he reported. “This pilot will be ongoing to debug any issues or troubleshoot errors that may come up in development.”
The second phase, which will begin at the end of August, will involve working with pharma customers and logistics partner to gather feedback around the user experience.
“We are excited to partner and innovate with CSafe to offer their customers a powerful cold chain solution that combines CSafe’s state-of-the-art thermal shipping solutions with our Digital Visibility Platform,” said Veerina. "Armed with real-time visibility into the world's most critical medical shipments, CSafe customers and support staff have 24/7 access to monitor every shipment and intervene if necessary. With this real-time visibility, CSafe’s customers can dramatically improve their cold chain success rates while expanding their reach into new and remote geographies.”
