Marken launches kit building facility for clinical trials in Asia Pacific
The 370m² facility – located in the Pudong district of Shanghai – houses a processing area to assemble kits, a temperature-controlled storage area, and office space.
Marken said the site can produce up to 100,000 kits per month, and will deliver sampling kits to all of Marken’s pharmaceutical depots and investigator sites when necessary.
Existing clients will benefit from the Shanghai facility, Marken’s Christine Noble told us: “Being centrally located within the Pudong district provides easy access to the Pudong International Airport for client shipments.”
“The combined centrally-located facility will enhance the ability to import raw materials for the kits and to also distribute kits domestically throughout China,” she added.
Increased demand?
Marken will continue to ship biological samples to laboratories and clinical drug products, driven by the increased number of clinical trials taking place across Asia Pacific countries, Noble told us.
Marken is meeting this increased demand by providing sites located as close to the patient as possible, she said: “Having a kit building facility in China, alongside Marken’s 13 other APAC [Asia Pacific] locations, provides the ability for Marken to distribute kits on behalf of our clients throughout all of China and the Asia Pacific region as a whole.
“Clients tell us they expect a continuing increase in the number of trials in that part of the world, and they also recognise that choosing a strong supply chain partner can reduce risk and potential temperature excursions for biological samples and clinical drug products,” she told us.
The facility is Marken’s third kit building site, along with Hamburg and Singapore locations.
Last month, Marken announced plans open a new branch in Ahmedabad, India.
Earlier last year, the supply chain organisation – which was bought by UPS in 2016 – launched a new hybrid logistics service using UPS’ airport, pilot, and aeroplane transportation network.
