News

Posted On: 08/16/2005

Nation’s First Electronic Pedigree for Biopharmaceuticals on the Horizon

PharmaManufacturing.com

FFF Enterprises Inc. (Temecula, Calif.), the largest U.S. distributor of biopharmaceuticals, and SupplyScape Corp. (Cambridge, Mass.), the leader in pharmaceutical pedigree solutions, announced August 16 that they have reached an agreement to deploy SupplyScape’s E-Pedigree to provide regulatory-compliant drug pedigrees and prove the effectiveness of FFF’s long-standing supply channel model, Guaranteed Channel Integrity.

This will be the first nationwide implementation of a pedigree system for tracking all biopharmaceuticals from the manufacturers to a distributor to healthcare providers. Pedigrees certify the channel that a medication has followed from the manufacturer to the healthcare provider. Effective July 2006, pedigrees will be required by Florida for all drugs, and other states are implementing similar requirements thereafter. FFF’s Guaranteed Channel Integrity entails purchasing only from the manufacturer and shipping only to healthcare providers, not to other distributors, which is common in almost every other pharmaceutical channel.

With the increasing incidence in the United States of drug tampering, counterfeiting and diversion, FFF and SupplyScape share a commitment to enhance the safety of the nation’s pharmaceutical supply by documenting the security of FFF’s distribution practices with certified universal electronic pedigrees.

“SupplyScape’s comprehensive pedigree system is a significant addition to FFF’s channel integrity services offering,” said Patrick M. Schmidt, CEO and president of FFF. “We launched our own drug channel tracing system over a year ago, while the industry was contemplating implementing a pedigree solution. But patients cannot wait any longer for the assurance that their medications are safe. We are excited to partner with SupplyScape, because while others only pay lip service to channel integrity, we practice it.”

Over the last two years, SupplyScape has provided the industry leadership to define an open, universal pedigree solution that works for all drugs today and RFID tagged drugs that may be available in the future.

“Our partnership with FFF Enterprises is a natural one,” said Shabbir Dahod, president and CEO of SupplyScape Corp. “We provide the most mature solution leading to rapid deployment of a safe and secure supply chain, and FFF Enterprises differentiates itself with its unique business approach of providing distribution with the highest integrity. We believe our combined efforts are improving the quality of healthcare for millions of Americans by keeping their drugs safer.”

As more healthcare providers become aware of the increasing risks to the U.S. drug supply, they are seeking safer distribution methods. According to FFF customer Christopher Lomax, Pharm D., director-Pharmacy Services, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, “After learning that the majority of U.S. drug supply channels are vulnerable to counterfeiters and shady secondary distributors, I am all the more convinced that FFF’s channel is the safest way – maybe the only secure way – to move biopharmaceuticals from the manufacturer to the healthcare provider. Pedigrees will help indicate which biopharmaceutical sources can be trusted and which cannot. The nation deserves a safe drug supply for our patients and our families.”

FFF’s vice president of technology, Bob Coates, was impressed by SupplyScape’s reputation for technology excellence. “As the innovator of electronic pedigree, SupplyScape packs its extensive knowledge into its robust and highly scalable pedigree software solution,” said Coates. “By using the open and free universal interchange format to transmit the pedigrees, we will take our channel integrity commitment to a whole new level and quickly comply with the regulations and timelines for Florida, California and Indiana, and be ready to immediately comply with the pending legislation in 23 other states.”

“What’s more,” added Schmidt, “SupplyScape knows how to get business value from pedigrees. Our partnership with SupplyScape will position our manufacturer partners and FFF to reap a strategic return on our pedigree investment.”

For more information about FFF and SupplyScape, visit www.fffenterprises.com and www.supplyscape.com.