A new partnership is expected to address the evolving challenges in temperature-controlled logistics for the life sciences sector with a memorandum of understanding between Pharma.Aero and the Cool Chain Association (CCA).

The agreement outlines the associations’ shared commitment to foster collaboration and enhance transparency between the life science and perishable supply chain. Stavros Evangelakakis, CCA chairman and head of global healthcare at Cargolux, said the partnership was born out of a shared goal to improve the quality and safety of the cool supply chain.

The two will work together on projects to review and recommend new industry processes and guidelines in a bid to harmonise pharmaceutical and perishable cold chain processes. As a start, the associations will compare critical control points from the CCA’s perishable trials and those recognised by Pharma.Aero and use IATA’s CEIV Pharma and Fresh certifications as benchmarks to identify shared standards that can improve the cold chain.

“By promoting harmonious processes across perishables and pharma we hope to facilitate a holistic and sustainable approach to air cargo, highlighting where the industry can simplify operations with better handling, reduce waste with improved data visibility, and increase profits with more efficient processes,” said Nicola Caristo, CCA secretary general and senior quality manager at SkyCell AG.

The news follows the CCA’s launch of a pharmaceutical trial in partnership with its member, Lamprecht Pharma Logistics AG, to identify pain points in the pharmaceutical supply chain and optimise performance.

Pharma.Aero is a collaborative platform with over 70 life science and medtech manufacturers and cargo pharma-certified communities, working to enhance the industry through research and insights on emerging trends.