Pharma.Aero's Frank van Gelder Sees a More Distributed Pharma Network

Pharma Aero secretary general Frank van Gelder says pharmaceutical production and innovation are spreading across more regions, with China and India gaining roles alongside established centres in Europe and North America. He said that shift could create opportunities for airfreight and specialist logistics providers.

Key details

• Van Gelder described China as increasingly important in biotechnology, clinical development and innovative medicines, as well as pharmaceutical ingredients and manufacturing.
• He characterized India as important to generics and manufacturing, with expanding innovative capabilities.
• He said advanced therapies such as autologous cell therapies and radioligand therapies can require coordinated transport, handling and clinical scheduling.
• He said new supply-chain nodes need qualification, connectivity, interoperability and economic justification.

Van Gelder cited autologous cell therapies and radioligand therapies as treatments that can require tightly coordinated transport, handling and clinical scheduling.

Why it matters

Advanced therapies can place tight demands on the timing and coordination of cargo movements. Van Gelder said adding supply-chain nodes alone does not ensure greater resilience, more cargo or higher profitability, and that increased pharmaceutical production does not automatically translate into higher airfreight volumes.