To deliver an urgently required temperature-controlled life-saving medication directly to an Italian patient in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, within the 48-hour window required for drug administration.

With all commercial international flights suspended, our planning review revealed limited options:

• Few remaining passenger and cargo flights existed
• The only flight availability would arrive a full week after the deadline
• Standard Customs clearance would have required a long waiting period

Marken’s team members liaised with the Italian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, who informed the local office of the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) of the urgency. Marken, working together with the Italian Embassy, sought assistance from the local hospital to provide a Letter of Authorization for Customs allowing the drug product to be expedited out of Italy quickly. Marken was able to utilize our UPS network to transport this critical shipment.

Delivery to the hospital was made on time within the required temperature. The patient received the life-saving drug on the last day possible for treatment. He now has a 4 month supply available to him.

Marken offers a state-of-the-art GMP-compliant depot network and logistic hubs for clinical drug product storage and distribution in 59 locations worldwide, while maintaining the leading position for Direct-to-Patient and Home Healthcare services, biological sample shipments and biological kit production. Marken’s dedicated 2,000+ staff members manage 154,000 drug product and biological sample shipments every month at all temperature ranges in more than 220 countries and territories and have orchestrated 14,000+ home healthcare visits. Additional services such as cell and gene supply chain services, ancillary material sourcing, storage and distribution, shipment lane verification and qualifications, as well as GDP, regulatory and compliance consultancy add to Marken’s unique position in the pharma and logistics industry.