Cardinal Health Introduces New Tennessee Advanced Therapy Innovation Center

Cardinal Health recently unveiled its new 8,000 square-foot Advanced Therapy Innovation Center.¹ Located in a 172,000 square-foot Cardinal Health distribution center in La Vergne, TN, the new plant’s infrastructure and capacity provide it with the preparation that’s needed to battle logistical obstacles surrounding cell and gene therapies (CGTs).

“The opening of this new center is a testament to the growth we have seen with cell and gene therapies and the promise of their potential to impact patients,” said Fran Gregory, VP of emerging therapies, who recently spoke with Pharma Commerce on the potential ways to help fund CGTs.² “Our investments in this space will have the potential to impact thousands of patients with rare diseases for which there are currently no or limited treatment options. We are excited to expand our capabilities to deliver treatments to patients that need them the most.”

As the industry may be aware of, being able to handle highly-sensitive CGTs requires a need for innovate shipping and storage solutions, which the new facility can provide.

“Many advanced therapies require specialized handling and temperature controls through the storage and shipping process to ensure their quality, safety and efficacy,” noted Joel Wayment, VP/GM, 3PL Services and Packaging Solutions. “The Advanced Therapy Innovation Center will allow us to further support manufacturers, so that patients receive the treatments that they need when they need them.”

The Advanced Therapy Innovation Center features a deep-frozen storage suite, including cryo- and ultra-low cold storage freezers to store products between -40 to -196°C (-40 to -320°F). And starting in October, Advanced Therapy Solutions will roll out Advanced Therapy Connect, an ordering portal that will allow customers to order all available in-network products from a one single platform. As a result, not only will administrative burden be reduced, but the order-to-cash experience will become more streamlined.

In other Cardinal Health news, the company also recently opened a new 350,000 square-foot distribution center in Greenville, SC that will solely focus on its Home Solutions business that provides healthcare medical supplies.³ Over time, the plant is expected to add about 200 jobs to the region.

"There's tremendous growth opportunity as healthcare continues to shift to the home," said Rob Schlissberg, president, Cardinal Health at-Home Solutions. "Consumers are setting the stage – they want to manage their health conditions comfortably from home, something that's especially important to our aging population. Our expansion into Greenville allows us to continue to deliver on our promises to customers and their patients, while creating a resilient supply chain to support this sustained growth."

References

1. Cardinal Health Opens Advanced Therapy Innovation Center in La Vergne, Tennessee. Cardinal Health. August 26, 2024. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://newsroom.cardinalhealth.com/Cardinal-Health-opens-Advanced-Therapy-Innovation-Center-in-Lavergne,-Tennessee

2. Saraceno N. Making Adjustments to Reimbursement Models Impacting Patient Therapies in the Biosimilar Space. Pharmaceutical Commerce. June 24, 2024. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://www.pharmaceuticalcommerce.com/view/making-adjustments-reimbursement-models-impacting-patient-therapies-biosimilar-space

3. Cardinal Health celebrates Greenville, South Carolina, distribution center opening. Cardinal Health. August 28, 2024. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://newsroom.cardinalhealth.com/2024-08-28-Cardinal-Health-celebrates-Greenville,-South-Carolina,-distribution-center-opening