FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

                                                                                                                          

 

 

WORLD COURIER EARNS ISO CERTIFICATION FOR LATIN AMERICAN INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG STORAGE FACILITIES

 

 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, September 13, 2005—World Courier is pleased to announce the ISO 9001 certification of five company-owned investigational drug storage/distribution facilities located in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Mexico City (Mexico) and Lima (Peru). Staffed by licensed pharmacists, these world-class facilities provide comprehensive logistical solutions – including storage, management and round-the-clock access to investigational drugs and supplies – for pharmaceutical clients involved in global clinical trials in Latin America. The depots are administered by World Courier’s Clinical Trial Supply Chain Services (CTSCS) division which opened in June 2004, making this the only company to operate a network of five GMP-certified pharmaceutical storage facilities in Latin America.

 

“In today’s competitive environment, the most successful pharmaceutical companies are turning to professional service partners to help bring in their international studies as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible,” says Wayne Heyland, President and CEO of World Courier Group. “By using these centralized depots, our clients can significantly reduce customs delays, improve the regulatory permit process, and better meet strict re-supply timelines.”

 

The new World Courier facilities are fully GMP-validated, featuring four different temperature-controlled ranges for storage (15o-25 o C / 2 o-8 o C / -20 o C / -70 o C), with redundant automatic back-up and emergency power systems. Inventories are electronically controlled using CTM-STARSM, World Courier’s own CFR21-11- compliant inventory monitoring system, and are visible by customers on a 24x7 basis via live Internet feed. Full service includes the transportation of all investigational drugs and supplies from the country of origin to the depot(s) of choice; immediate delivery (same day/next day) of specified drugs/kits to all intra-country locations; individual monitoring of all shipments using organization-wide SOPs; immediate confirmation of delivery; and complete logistics chain management.

 

“Our goal is to provide members of the clinical development community with services that can enhance R&D potential and improve performance,” says Carlos Jankowski, World Courier’s Regional Director for Latin America. “Our new CTSCS division takes the storage and distribution of clinical trial materials to a higher level and alleviates much of uncertainty associated with supplying multiple sites within a challenging geographical area like Latin America.”

 

Incorporated in 1969, World Courier has set the benchmark for worldwide time-sensitive transportation. It remains the only specialist courier company with its own global network dedicated to treating every shipment on an individual, priority basis. Today, World Courier is the acknowledged leader in delivering customized solutions and value-added services in growth markets such as the bio-medical, automotive and high-tech industries. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, World Courier maintains a comprehensive network of over 130 company-owned ISO 9001-certified offices operating in 49 countries worldwide.

 

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Contacts

 

Latin America

Carlos Jankowski

Regional Director, Latin America

World Courier Argentina S.A.

Avda. Corrientes 316 D, Piso 7

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Telephone: 54/1/4328-8300

Fax: 54/1/4328-5879

E-mail: jankowski@worldcourier.com.ar

 

North America

John Monetti

Vice-President Sales & Marketing

World Courier Inc.

1313 - 4th Avenue

New Hyde Park, NY, 11040

Telephone: (516) 354-2600

Toll-free: 1-800-231-7227

Fax: (516) 354-2713

E-mail: jmonetti@worldcourier.com

 

Europe, Middle East & Africa

Noël Foucart

Director, Sales and Marketing

World Courier Belgium N.V.

Minervastraat 18
B-1930 Zaventem

Belgium

Telephone: 32/2/712-5060

Fax: 32/2/712-5089

E-mail: nfoucart@worldcourier.be

 

Asia Pacific

Korhan Yalcinyuva

Regional Director, Asia Pacific

World Courier (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

Unit 1, 8 Lord Street

Botany N.S.W. 2019

Australia

Telephone: 61/2/8335 9100

Fax: 61/2/8335 9170

E-mail: kyalcinyuva@worldcourier.com.au