Company insight
identified a need with a sponsor, we were able to match supply to our nearest depot and get supplies to them quickly. The result has been that 100% of all sponsor requests have been fulfilled and we even released shipments prior to first patient first visit (FPFV) at many sites across the world.
What steps did Ancillare take to mitigate risk during the pandemic? Risk management and mitigation is always about planning, innovating and intervening early. Ancillare attempted to mitigate any potential risk to our sponsors’ CTASCs by immediately getting our task force to apply predictive analytics as a way of anticipating supply and equipment needs. We have data from our extensive pre-pandemic infectious disease and vaccine trials, which was invaluable in helping sponsors mitigate extreme risk related to ancillary supplies and equipment needed for activating sites. We engaged in funding the pipeline by initiating prepayments, allowing the Ancillare purchase order requests to be pushed to the front of the factory production lines.
members (all of whom shared the same vision and understanding of the importance of our work) were truly the intangible risk management factor that enabled our organisation to navigate the past 18 months with the responsiveness and success our sponsors needed.
What was Ancillare’s strategy for managing Covid-19 clinical trials and how were you able to meet the needs of sponsors conducting such trials?
Our strategy has always been the same. And Covid-19 just confirmed what we have seen proven, year after year: a well-planned supply chain can help accelerate approvals of life-saving therapies for patients. Our CTASC model embraces the complexities and globalisation of the ancillary supply chain, and manages the chain with that singular focus. This flexible and scalable model ensures a transparent and efficient process for sponsors. Our sponsors understand (and now expect) that when you engage Ancillare, you will receive value throughout the entire life cycle of the trial – value centred around collaboration, consultation and performance.
“The most significant lesson Ancillare took from these unprecedented times is the fact that there is no going back. We must march to the beat of the post-pandemic drum and lead the CTASC continuously, effortlessly, with proven patient-centric processes and procedures.”
We had millions of needles, syringes, pulse oximeters, and thermometers ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice, so as global spread occurred, we were not as affected by governments and health agencies moving up to the top of the factory production lines. Even though we are thankfully exiting the pandemic environment, the supply chain issues, such as recalls and shortages, will likely continue for the next few years. However, Ancillare’s approach to CTASC management remains as diligent as in the first months of the pandemic, so we can continue to be as responsive, if not more so, post-pandemic. But I would be remiss to not acknowledge that our incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated team
Clinical Trials Insight /
www.worldpharmaceuticals.net
Do you anticipate supply chain challenges persisting in the near term and, if so, how has this affected your business plans? I do not think supply chains will ever return to what they were prior to Covid- 19. Covid-19 has reshaped the global supply chain. But it has also reshaped what sponsors will need and look for in supply chain partners. Our top three focuses are reimagining how ancillary supplies and equipment are delivered, the development of patient-centred CTASCs, and implementation of proprietary technology to deliver real-time performance data and collaboration space. Most pressing, of course, is working with our sponsors to develop innovative
programmes that enhance the patient experience. For example, Ancillare’s Innovation Team created and delivered customised kits for a Covid-19 trial that were equipped with all supplies required for a single patient’s visit. Rummaging through numerous boxes filled with needles, syringes, thermometers, pulse oximeters and more would just not work in this environment. Those types of kitting needs and requests won’t change now that we are emerging from the pandemic environment.
That is to say ‘patient-centred’ is not just a catchphrase. We are not charged with just getting supplies to sites anymore, but also to patients’ homes. We know that in healthcare, not just clinical research, we must make direct-to- patient services available as early and often as possible. For us, CTASC services like retrieving excess supplies or used equipment at the end of the trial is paramount to easy, efficient and, above all, compliant trial conduct. To do that as successfully as possibly, we launched our ADCP (Ancillare Digital Communications Portal) technology for select sponsors during the pandemic and will make it available for all studies later this year. The portal is a real-time, web-based platform designed to keep critical information at everyone’s fingertips and deliver data directly related to the trial’s performance.
What lessons learnt during the pandemic will be utilised by your business in the future?
The most significant lesson Ancillare took from these unprecedented times is the fact that there is no going back. We must march to the beat of the post-pandemic drum and lead the CTASC continuously, effortlessly, with proven patient-centric processes and procedures. Ancillare teams re-emphasised the critical need to continue to communicate from a cross- functional/cross-departmental point-of- view. CTASC success is trial success. While we may be a small part of a very large ecosystem, the pandemic proved that a well-planned CTASC is essential to on-time, on-budget trials. ●
www.ancillare.com 21
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