Challenge
A desperate mother in Germany urged her team of doctors to reach out to a Marken client on behalf of her two-year-old girl. The child was battling leukemia and had exhausted all currently available treatment options. The client manufactures a drug not yet approved, but it is expected to be approved soon.
The client immediately reviewed and approved the request as part of a Compassionate Use programme, but as the shipment request came in on a Friday, the delivery specifications were urgent with the need for expedited service. In addition, the drug product needed to be kept at 2-8 C throughout the 24-hour supply chain process.
Solution
Marken’s team immediately began work on the complex logistics details. Working together with the client care team, all of the necessary permits and documentation were secured by Friday afternoon. The team immediately began preparation for shipping the experimental medicine from the manufacturing site in the UK to the final destination in Germany.
Marken’s teams in Germany and the UK tracked every step of this amazing journey via Marken’s Sentry device which maintained constant communication to all parties throughout the process. With the latest GPS technology available, both teams utilized the real-time, track and trace capability through Sentry’s custom-designed software to monitor and report the shipment’s status from the initial pickup in the UK through final delivery to the hospital, doctor and patient. Sentry monitored location, temperature, motion, shock, light exposure (open box), atmospheric pressure, and remaining battery life to ensure the shipment was never compromised.
The potentially life-saving drug was successfully picked up at the site, delivered to the airport, flown to Germany, and finally delivered by car at 4 am Saturday morning to the hospital where the child was being treated. The client was advised of progress during all steps of the process throughout the night with regular status of their shipment status.
Central reception at the hospital directly notified the pharmacy and the physician who were standing by for immediate administration to the child.
Outcome
Marken is pleased to be able to offer a global network with the capacity to assist patients around the world who may be participating in these types of Compassionate Use and Expanded Access programs. The personal dedication of Marken team members truly Makes It Happen for patients who are placing hope in every vital new treatment Marken delivers.