Wyeth Pharmaceuticals CASE STUDY

Cold Chain Solutions for High Regulatory Environments

Great Valley, PA

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals

The Challenge

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals needed to create a cold-chain distribution network for its FluMist influenza vaccine. The vaccine, delivered as a nasal spray mist (no-shot), must be frozen at the point of manufacture and kept at -22°F to remain stable. Due to strict regulatory requirements, Wyeth could not use existing distribution chain applications, not even ice cream storage.

They needed a fail-safe operation that could receive trucks loaded with pallets of frozen vaccine and keep them at -22°F through depalletizing, pick/pack, manifesting, and reloading for shipment to doctors’ offices and pharmacies throughout the country.

CVS Pharmacy

The Solution

KPI designed and implemented the most advanced cold-chain distribution operation in the world, solving Wyeth’s FluMist distribution problem.

  • Freezer dock door system
  • Pallet transport conveyors
  • Freezer tunnels
  • Custom airlocks
  • Robotic pick and packing, all dressed in space-age parkas to protect from -22 temperatures Timers to control exposure to ”warm air” for compliance
  • Warehouse Execution System (WES)
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Contact KPI