FDA approval, both Dermavant and Hellmann prepared a detailed playbook that would guide the launch. The partnership between the two companies started in late 2021. “We quickly aligned on shared interests,” Eastman says. Dermavant was looking for a partner that takes a “white glove” approach to logistics and could design a best- in-class shipping structure. Hellmann brought a deep understanding of healthcare logistics, a strong global network of products and services, and the distribution practices and policies to help Dermavant comply with the myriad regulations that govern cross-border shipments of healthcare products. While all medical products must comply with rigorous safety requirements, “Dermavant’s launch processes and requirements are industry leading,” says Chris DiBernardi, director of business development healthcare with Hellmann. The playbook documents the rigorous risk mitigation processes and protocols Hellmann and Dermavant jointly follow. This includes, for example, the processes to follow if a truck breaks down or if any products fall outside the temperature controls during transportation. Through its Smart Visibility solution, Hellmann leverages 5G technology to provide full, real-time visibility from dock-to-dock or port-to- port on every shipment’s temperature, location, and security across all modes of transportation.
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics helped Dermavant Sciences ship to customers within 48 hours after FDA approval of its VTAMA cream.
Activities Importation Requests (PLAIR), which enabled Dermavant to import VTAMA cream into U.S. distribution centers for staging, ahead of FDA approval. Dermavant worked with the FDA to be granted the ability to import under the PLAIR program. Once it was granted, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics assisted in the shipping and importation clearance of VTAMA cream into the United States. “Shipping to our customers within 48 hours of FDA approval is an incredible feat,” Eastman says, noting that VTAMA cream, like all medical products, must comply with stringent temperature and other controls while it’s in transit. Behind the launch was more than one year of planning, as well as close integration between Dermavant and Hellmann. While waiting for nal
DERMAVANT AND HELLMANN WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS 48 Hours to
Product Distribution About 48 hours after Dermavant Sciences received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide VTAMA (tapinarof) cream 1% in the United States, the company was shipping the product from its U.S. distribution centers into pharmacies and patients’ hands. This feat typically takes companies three months after FDA approval, says Chad Eastman, director of global logistics with Dermavant. VTAMA cream is the rst novel chemical entity approved for psoriasis in the United States in the past quarter-century, the company reports. The rapid distribution was made possible through the Pre-Launch
Global Freight Forwarding Market 2023-2032 (By End User)
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032
Healthcare Retail
Manufacturing and Automotive Oil and Gas
Food and Beverage Others
Source: Custom Market Insights
100 Inbound Logistics • January 2024
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