-Collaboration aimed at providing cryogenic transport services globally-
November 27, 2023 -- NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. (President: Mitsuru Saito), has entered into a strategic partnership with Cryoport Systems (President: Jerrell W. Shelton; hereinafter "Cryoport"), a group company of the US-based specialized pharmaceutical carrier Cryoport, Inc., to provide the global pharmaceutical industry with cryogenic (-150°C or lower) transport services for cellular raw materials and regenerative medicine products.
("Dry Shipper" specialized container)
Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Cryoport is a leading cold-chain company trusted by numerous pharmaceutical and regenerative medicine manufacturers and is a global provider of advanced technologies and high-quality services for biospecimen, cell, vaccine, regenerative medicine, biomaterial and other supply chains.
The NX Group has positioned the pharmaceutical industry as a key industry in the core business growth strategy outlined in the "NX Group Business Plan 2023: Dynamic Growth" and has acquired Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and CEIV Pharma certification for 34 business locations in 24 countries/regions as part of its determined efforts to put in place the requisite quality control systems and infrastructure. Since May 2022, the Group has been providing ultra-low temperature-controlled (-20°C to -85°C) logistics services to the pharmaceutical industry in Japan, and since June of that same year it has offered international air freight services using temperature-controlled containers capable of accommodating three temperature ranges: frozen transport (-20°C to 0°C) , refrigerated transport (2°C to 8°C), and constant-temperature transport (15°C to 25°C).
At a glance
- Company
- NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC.
- Announcement
- Partnership
Key figures
- Cryogenic transport temperature
- -150°C or lower
- Container temperature duration
- 10 days
- Data acquisition interval
- every five minutes
- Cloud upload interval
- every hour
- Container availability
- 50 countries/regions
- Airline access
- more than 120 airlines
People
- Mitsuru SaitoPresident, NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC.
- Jerrell W. SheltonPresident, Cryoport Systems
Products and programs
This strategic partnership brings together the NX Group's global network and Cryoport's advanced technologies to launch a new cryogenic (-150°C or lower) transport service that meets growing demand stemming from next-generation therapies. The new service will help the NX Group continue providing high-quality pharmaceutical logistics services globally to satisfy a wide range of customer needs.
[Service overview]
A. Transport service using "Dry Shipper" containers specialized for cryogenic transport (-150°C or lower)
(1)This special container uses liquid nitrogen to maintain a transport environment of -150°C or below for 10 days
(2) The container features a distinctive design tailored for transport that offers stability, reliability, and safety
①Its unique shape and triple-layered structure are designed to reduce the risk of damage during transport while maintaining stable temperatures
②Serial-numbered binding bands prevent unauthorized access and theft during transport
③A special disinfection/cleaning process makes it possible to reuse Dry Shipper containers
B. Real-time monitoring service using data loggers
(1)Transport conditions (location, temperature, humidity, tilt, impacts, etc.) can be monitored in real-time. Reliable data is acquired every five minutes using a GPS-equipped data logger installed inside the Dry Shipper, and then uploaded to the cloud via a dedicated interface every hour.
(2)The Dry Shipper container is available in 50 countries/regions and can be utilized on more than 120 airlines worldwide
The NX Group remains committed to providing logistics support to customers in the global pharmaceutical industry by building a reliable and secure global pharmaceutical logistics platform and thereby contributing to the health of people around the world.
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Questions around this news
What does the partnership between NX Group and Cryoport aim to provide?
The partnership is intended to offer global cryogenic transport for cellular raw materials and regenerative medicine products. It combines NX Group’s logistics network with Cryoport’s technologies to serve pharmaceutical customers moving materials that require temperatures of -150°C or lower.
How does the cryogenic transport service maintain and monitor shipment conditions?
The service uses specialized containers that rely on liquid nitrogen to maintain temperatures of -150°C or lower for 10 days. GPS-equipped data loggers track conditions such as location, temperature, humidity, tilt and impacts. Data is collected every five minutes and uploaded to the cloud every hour.
What is cryogenic transport?
Cryogenic transport moves materials at extremely low temperatures, typically using specialized containers and cooling methods to preserve temperature-sensitive cargo. It can be used for biological materials and certain medical products whose properties may be affected by warmer conditions. The required temperature and handling procedures depend on the material being transported.
What does Good Distribution Practice mean in pharmaceutical logistics?
Good Distribution Practice (GDP) refers to quality standards and procedures for storing and distributing medicines. Its purpose is to help maintain product quality and integrity throughout the supply chain, including through appropriate handling, documentation, personnel training and controls over storage and transport conditions.
