Global contract packaging organization, Tjoapack, has partnered with U.K.-based technology company, Veratrak, to establish the use of blockchain across the pharmaceutical industry.

The partnership will include a number of projects that focus on using the properties of blockchain to enable transparent collaboration across multiple pharmaceutical supply chain partners, reducing service lead times, and driving information sharing through a secure digital chain.

The first project, which is due to be rolled out in Q4 2018, will secure and optimize the data sharing processes involved in setting up stock keeping units (SKUs) ready for packaging from product master data to artwork.

Blockchain allows data to be stored as part of an immutable ledger assuring that it cannot be altered or tampered with. Veratrak’s new document collaboration platform uses blockchain technology to allow secure data sharing across the pharmaceutical industry.

“Blockchain is already being explored as a solution to support track and trace programs which follow physical goods through the supply chain,” Dexter Tjoa, director corporate strategy at Tjoapack, said. “It could also have huge benefits when it comes to improving data transparency through secure audit logs that are accessible for multiple parties. A tool like the one we’re working on with Veratrak will make collaboration across different companies easier, making the supply chain much more efficient.”

To date, blockchain technology has been explored by pharmaceutical companies through either proof of concepts or pilot projects. Veratrak has been built according to GAMP5 guidelines and is compliant with FDA part 11 regulations, making it the first global application of blockchain in a GxP environment working with multiple organizations in the supply chain, according to the companies.

Tjoapack, an independent contract packager of medicines servicing clients across five continents and 42 countries, will be the first user of the platform.

Founded in 1989 by Eric Tjoa, Tjoapack specializes in primary packaging for solid dosage forms, secondary packaging and unit dose packaging, and has a total of 19 packaging lines for blisters, wallets, and bottles. It packages around 26 million packs of pharmaceutical products per year, which equates to around 1.4 billion tablets.

Veratrak is London based company focused on developing technologies that will support secure data collaboration within the pharmaceutical supply chain.

(Source: Tjoapack)