Safeguarding vital bio samples amidst customs challenges and underserved regions

Amidst the complexities of modern healthcare, one CRO distinguishes itself through its steadfast dedication to driving positive change. It excels in partnering with pharmaceutical companies to support in developing groundbreaking therapies. Their aim is to transform lives, especially for patients in need of life-saving treatments.

In their pursuit of medical advancements, they encountered a complex challenge. They needed to transport precious human biological samples, including tissue specimens and nasal swabs, from various distant corners of the world. These locations included Zambia, Kenya, and India, with the samples destined for a research facility in the U.S. These samples required precise care, with temperatures ranging from refrigerated (+2ºC to +8°C) to frozen (-25°C to -15°C) to ensure their viability upon arrival at the research facility.

To make matters even more complex, many of these locations had limited infrastructure, which meant that alternative solutions had to be devised in case replenishing liquid nitrogen for frozen samples became impossible. Additionally, navigating customs regulations for the import and export of potentially hazardous materials added another layer of complexity to this vital project.

World Courier stepped in to support this CRO's mission. We utilized two types of packaging: the global thermal container (GTC) and the global dry ice (GDI) thermal container. These containers served as robust solutions for safely transporting frozen and refrigerated samples, offering the flexibility of replenishment and boasting lengthy qualification times to protect valuable samples.

The extended qualification time proved crucial in cases where ready-to-use packaging was unavailable at the sample collection sites or where infrastructure was lacking. This solution allowed packaging to be prepared and qualified in a third location, shipped to the collection sites, and finally transported to the research facility, all while maintaining the required temperature conditions.

Simultaneously, the customs brokerage team diligently navigated the ever-changing maze of import and export regulations. This extensive project spanned three to four years, with bi-monthly collections from clinical sites in multiple countries. Regulatory policies could change at any moment, but the brokerage team ensured that all documentation was consistently up to date. Their efforts ensured that every shipment smoothly passed through customs and arrived at the university in pristine condition, keeping the CRO’s critical research on track.

Maintaining a dependable stream of on-schedule sample deliveries to the research facility was imperative to the CRO’s research objectives. Any delays could jeopardize progress, result in costly setbacks, and, most importantly, impact the health of patients waiting for treatments.

The result of this multi-year collaboration was nothing short of remarkable. With our unwavering commitment to precision and reliability, we successfully shipped and delivered numerous consignments from eight international locations to the research facility. A significant percentage of these deliveries were made within the specified timeframe and at the required temperature range, safeguarding the precious bio samples.

The choice of World Courier as a logistics partner made this ambitious project possible. Our expertise, dedication, and unwavering commitment to ensuring the safe and timely delivery of critical samples played a pivotal role in CRO's mission to change lives through innovative research.

“Our partnership faced significant challenges due to the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the pandemic and industry shifts. My focus was on being transparent about the obstacles we encountered, actively listening to [the client’s] concerns, and finding ways to serve them better. This approach has helped us reinforce our partnership and continue supporting their vital research efforts.”

- Branden Caffoe, Business Development Manager, World Courier