DDN President, Mark Wiesman, told Outsourcing-Pharma the expansion comes in response to rising demand for outsourced logistics and warehousing services from pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies.
He said: “We see increasing outsourcing in the life science sector and a major emphasis of biologic products so we are responding to market needs with the additional capacity.”
Expanding cold chain storage capacity
In addition, the Wisconsin-based pharmaceutical logistics firm has revealed that it will expand its cold chain storage capacity at the Memphis facility during the first two quarters of 2011.
According to Wiesman, the investment will more than double DDN’s refrigerated storage capacity at the site, providing “best-in-breed cold chain and tracking capabilities” as the drug pipeline shifts towards biologics.
With evidence that new drug pipelines are shrinking, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval times are lengthening and current medicines are losing patents, big pharma is rapidly acquiring existing and pipeline biologics to help revitalise product portfolios.
Recognition of this trend, Wiesman explained, was the key driver for DDN’s investment, which he suggested will allow its clients to focus their efforts on product development, product acquisition and sales activities, which will go on to drive economic value.
He said: “Many of these companies are finding it more economical to outsource, and they’re understanding the flexibility they’re gaining in response to market changes, all with typically higher service levels than they are experiencing doing it themselves.”
Range of services
The firm works with companies of all sizes, and provides a range of other services beyond warehousing and distribution, including customer call centre, order-to-cash, contract management, transportation management, information technology and medical affairs services.
DDN’s Memphis facility recently received FDA certification for Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) for quality systems, and Weisman added: “The primary aim of our expansion is to accommodate our clients’ and prospects’ needs.
“We exist to serve our clients in a way that allows them to maximise the reach, capabilities and value of their products and company.”