STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--World Courier is pleased to announce the opening of its newest purpose-driven investigational drug storage facilities in Melbourne (Australia) and Johannesburg (South Africa), bringing its network of GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice)-compliant clinical trial depots to a total of 11 worldwide and providing cost-effective logistical access to two continents critical to the global pharmaceutical industry.

“Together these two continents undertake over 15 per cent of current global clinical trials conducted outside North America, representing an annual estimated market of almost US $3 billion and a study frequency almost double that of China and India combined,” says Wayne Heyland, President and CEO of the World Courier group of companies. “As clinical research represents the most critical, yet expensive phase of drug development, demand for more cost-effective outsourcing options has intensified in recent years, with clients actively soliciting infrastructure support in emerging and strategic nations. Given the relative isolation of both locations – as well as their inherent appeal – our local depots offer a much-needed and highly cost-efficient ‘one-stop’ logistical alternative for bio-pharmaceutical companies with demanding clinical trial storage and distribution needs.”

Staffed by full-time licensed pharmacists, both facilities provide comprehensive logistical solutions for investigational drugs and trial-related materials in temperature-controlled settings ranging from -70^oC to +25^oC. Services include validated storage for drugs, diagnostic kits and medical devices; round-the-clock access to inventories; transport of all investigational drugs and supplies from country of origin to depot; immediate delivery of specified drugs/kits from the depot to in-country locations; drug return/destruction management; and complete supply chain management. All documentation and materials are fully traceable using CTM-STAR^SM, World Courier’s proprietary monitoring system which allows customers to view their inventories 24x7 via live password-protected Internet feed.

“Our solutions have proven highly effective in reducing transport costs for pharmaceutical customers,” says Mr. Heyland who also reports a surge in demand which has driven expansion in the company’s existing storage facilities in Beijing (China), Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore, India), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lima (Perú), México City (México), Santiago (Chile) and São Paulo (Brazil). “With these expansions and our two new locations, we have more than tripled World Courier’s clinical trial storage capacity,” he confirms.

About World Courier

Incorporated in 1969 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut (USA) World Courier is the largest and most experienced specialty courier service with a network of over 140 company-owned ISO 9001-certified offices operating in 50 countries worldwide. World Courier has set the benchmark for worldwide time-sensitive transportation and is the acknowledged leader in delivering customized solutions, cold chain and value-added services in growth markets such as the bio-pharmaceutical, automotive and high-tech industries. Through its company-owned offices and agents, World Courier provides door-to-door, customs-cleared service to more than 220 countries and territories.

World Courier operates the world’s largest integrated company-owned network of GMP-compliant investigational drug storage facilities in developing and strategic locations, with depots in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, México, Perú, Russia and South Africa.