Vetter Advances Track-And-Trace Efforts Against Drug Counterfeiting

Vetter Pharma International GmbH announced significant progress in its innovative solution for state-of-the-art product packaging, designed to support efforts against drug counterfeiting. This will include a range of serialization services to support track-and-trace programs.

The company said the development is in response to broadened requirements by regulatory authorities that demand drug makers to affix clear drug identification on packaging. Serialization of packaging is considered to be one of the most effective solutions to drug counterfeiting, a serious problem threatening the pharmaceutical industry around the world. The company said that the U.S., South Korea, and Brazil as well as regions including the European Union are expected to follow suit in coming years.

“In this regard, Vetter, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with extensive packaging experience, has designed an effective solution for its customers: a flexible serialization service, that forms the basis of track-and-trace programs. With this offer, the company is extending its existing services. These services include, for example, printing of Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN) on packages, which has been requested by France and is expected to be requested by the USA in 2015.”

Vetter said it began implementation of an engineering platform for serialization following the successful implementation of an initial IT solution. The platform is expected to be operational by the end of 2014. The service will serve to support pharmaceutical and biotech companies in actualize their own track-and-trace programs for a secured and controlled supply chain.

Thomas Otto, Managing Director of Vetter, said, “The Vetter serialization service will support growing customer and regulatory demands in the area of track-and-trace in the struggle against counterfeiting. This service, which we expect to have implemented by late 2014, is based upon a comprehensive concept study that we undertook. Our serialization service will enable that packages include unique identification necessary to support product security and supply chain efficiency.”

The serialization services are expected to roll out by the end of 2014, said the company.