Cold Chain Packaging in University-Backed Health Care Systems

December 10, 2024
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As the health care market continues to grow in the United States, universities are diversifying their revenue streams through backing, or creating healthcare systems in their local areas. As complete insulated packaging partners, KODIAKOOLER has invested in discovering how cold chain packaging can fit into university healthcare systems.

Specialty Pharmaceuticals: A New Market

It’s no surprise that university healthcare systems are beginning to expand into the specialty pharmacy market. In 2023, the Drugs Channel Institute found that specialty pharmaceuticals reached approximately $243 billion in revenue. With this much opportunity, many healthcare systems have rushed to either acquire or build specialty pharmacies. This growth has been continuous for almost a decade. As shown below, from 2015 to 2018 in the United States, there has been consistent growth in the number of accredited specialty pharmacies.

Universities in the Specialty Pharmacy Market

In recent years, university healthcare systems have led the charge in the specialty pharmaceutical industry. Why? Universities have a unique advantage in specialty pharma due to their tripartite approach to health care. In efforts to balance excellence of education, research, and patient care; universities have found themselves at the forefront of specialty drug compounding and distribution. However, the addition of a specialty pharmacy to an established healthcare system is not as intuitive as it may seem. Many times, there is endless bureaucracy and accreditation processes that can take valuable time and resources. At KODIAKOOLER, testing your package’s thermal performance in transit is certified and free, ensuring that you have easy access to the data necessary to pass accreditation.

Cold Chain Packaging for Specialty Pharmaceuticals

In the specialty pharmacy industry, many drugs are costly and volatile. Due to this, drug manufacturers will often test and create conditions for their drugs. The most common of these conditions are temperature ranges. For many specialty drugs, to maintain potency and safety, there will be a temperature control condition of the drug staying between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius (35.6-46.4) or 20-25 degrees Celsius (68-77).

This is an easy range to maintain in the refrigerator, but many specialty drugs must be shipped to houses in less stable conditions. This is where cold chain packaging is crucial. Uniquely, KODIAKOOLER has pre-qualified and tested various sizes of boxes and mailers to meet specific timeframes for these ranges. KODIAKOOLER has worked closely with third-party integrators to ensure the insulation performance exceeds all accreditation standards. To learn more about these testing processes and accreditations, reach out today.

Your Complete Insulated Packaging Partner

KODIAKOOLER provides a comprehensive range of insulated packaging solutions to meet our customers’ diverse needs. From our classic, high-performance KOTTON liners to our biodegradable foam coolers, we offer a variety of options to suit your specific requirements. Our team of experts is here to help you select the perfect packaging solution for your objectives, ensuring optimal temperature control and a seamless shipping experience.

Temperature control shouldn’t come at the expense of a healthy planet, and being eco-friendly shouldn’t come at the expense of performance. Our biodegradable foam coolers and Kotton liners are a testament to our belief in that philosophy. At KODIAKOOLER, we’re committed to the next generation of insulated packaging, offering you exceptional performance and investing in sustainability.