TNT to consolidate position with clinical trial services in region

TNT has extended its Clinical Trial Network (CTN) to the Middle East region by providing transportation and other support services to global pharmaceutical and bio-technology companies interested in clinical trials.

Mark Pell, managing director, TNT Gulf and Saudi Arabia, said: "To begin with we are providing transport and other support services to our client in Iran. We also have a few other potential clients in Europe interested in clinical trials in the Middle East and we may provide them support service."

TNT already enjoys a leading position in supplying clinical trial services in Europe. It supplies Medpak packaging for ambient shipments and thermopak for temperature-controlled specimens. It also delivers dry ice to investigator sites from either local or central supply points.

TNT launched CTN in 2001 in Europe and expanded to Asia and the US the following year.

CTN is basically a Web-based package which connects all parties working on clinical trials. It facilitates the ordering of site supplies and improves visibility and tracking of site supplies and samples.

With CTN, all parties in the clinical trials chain have instant, secure desktop access to the same accurate logistics data. Tracking consignments, keeping records and ordering collections are simply a matter of a few mouse clicks and the whole process has become more visible and easier to manage.

In most cases in clinical trials, customers use one company for sample distribution, another for dry ice services and yet another for kit assembly and distribution.

CTN claims to be the first and only organisation to provide a true 'one-stop shop' that seamlessly links every partner in the process, from lab technicians, to dry-ice suppliers, fulfilment companies, doctors and pharmaceutical companies.