Pharma Cold Chain Logistics

Pharma Cold Chain Logistics
Supply & Export from the UK.

Euro Biom is an MHRA WDA-licensed wholesaler delivering pharma cold chain logistics from the UK. Validated 2-8 degC packaging, GDP-documented end-to-end, Heathrow direct routing to GCC, Africa and Europe. Temperature-sensitive UK-licensed medicines and clinical trial materials. Euro Biom trades exclusively in UK-licensed medicines.

MHRA WDA Licence No. WDA(H) 59239Cold Chain Scope Authorised
Submit a Cold Chain Enquiry View Our GDP Credentials

⚡ Same-day response to every enquiry  ·  Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00  ·  WhatsApp us

Temperature Ranges We Handle
Every Medicine in the Right Range.

Each consignment is packed and shipped in the range specified by the marketing authorisation holder, with continuous monitoring from pack-out to receipt.

-20°C
Frozen
Specific licensed products and clinical trial IMPs
2–8°C
Refrigerated
Temperature-sensitive UK-licensed medicines
8–15°C
Cool
Certain injectables, some hormonal products and specialist formulations
15–25°C
Ambient Controlled
Most licensed oral medicines, tablets, capsules, controlled room temperature
What Pharma Cold Chain Logistics Means
An unbroken chain,
from pack-out to patient.

Pharma cold chain logistics is the discipline of moving temperature-sensitive UK-licensed medicines within a continuously controlled environment from manufacturer to patient.

Cold chain pharmaceutical supply is the uninterrupted temperature-controlled handling of a medicine from the moment it leaves the manufacturer's storage until it reaches the end user. A single excursion outside the validated range can compromise product integrity and render a shipment unusable.

For 2-8 degC products, every stage must be validated. That means qualified packaging, calibrated data loggers, priority air freight, pre-conditioned hand-off at the airport and monitored customs clearance at destination. There is no room for informal handling.

Euro Biom operates under UK MHRA WDA authorisation with a full GDP quality system covering cold chain operations. Every shipment leaves our contract warehouse with documented pack-out conditions, loggers active, and a route plan suited to the destination country's climate and customs environment.

MHRA WDA Authorised UK GDP Compliant Heathrow Origin Validated Packaging
"Cold chain is not a shipping method. It is a documented, validated quality process that must hold from pack-out to the patient's arm. We run it as such."
Who Uses UK Cold Chain Supply
Built for Buyers Who
Cannot Accept a Failed Shipment.

When the product is a temperature-sensitive medicine, a temperature excursion is not a courier inconvenience. It is a clinical failure. These are the buyers we work with.

🏥
Hospitals & Health Ministries
Hospital pharmacies and national health programmes sourcing temperature-sensitive UK-licensed medicines where local supply is unavailable, interrupted or insufficient in volume.
🌍
NGOs & Humanitarian Programmes
Humanitarian and development organisations running maternal health and other cold chain supply programmes across Africa and the Middle East, where failed cold chain has programme-level consequences.
🧪
Clinical Trial Sponsors & CROs
Clinical trial sponsors, CROs and investigator sites needing cold chain handling of Investigational Medicinal Products with full traceability and GDP-compliant release documentation.
Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Logistics Requirements
What good pharma cold chain
logistics requires.

A compliant pharma cold chain is built from six interlocking controls. Each one is documented, validated and reviewable by an MHRA inspector, ministry auditor or hospital quality team.

📦
Validated Packaging
Qualified shippers (Pelican BioThermal, Sonoco ThermoSafe, va-Q-tec) chosen by transit time and destination ambient profile. Pre-conditioned coolants for 2-8 degC, eutectic gels for extended hold, frozen shippers for -20 degC.
📈
Calibrated Loggers
Sensitech, Berlinger or ELPRO data loggers placed inside every consignment. Continuous recording from pack-out to receipt. Data downloaded and archived on release.
🏬
GDP-Compliant Storage
Temperature-mapped 2-8 degC and 15-25 degC chambers under continuous monitoring with 24/7 alarming and qualified back-up power.
✈️
CEIV Pharma Air Freight
IATA CEIV Pharma-certified airline partners and ground handlers ensure validated handling on the apron, in the warehouse and during transit, especially critical during 45 degC+ Gulf summer ramp conditions.
🛃
Customs Pre-Clearance
Documentation prepared and submitted before flight to prevent customs hold delays at destination, a major cause of cold chain excursions for UK pharma exports to GCC and Africa.
📑
Documented Release
Every shipment generates a release file containing temperature data, GDP certificates, batch release, CPP (Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product) in WHO format and excursion investigation if any.
Our Cold Chain Credentials

The controls that make
our cold chain auditable.

A cold chain claim is only as strong as the evidence behind it. Every Euro Biom shipment generates a complete documentation trail suitable for regulatory audit or ministry-level review.

MHRA WDA with Cold Chain Scope

Euro Biom holds WDA(H) 59239, granted by the MHRA. The authorisation explicitly covers cold chain handling of POM and GSL medicines, and is publicly verifiable on the MHRA wholesale dealer register.

WDA(H) 59239  |  MHRA Site 37434242

UK GDP Good Distribution Practice

Cold chain operations run under a documented GDP quality system covering qualified warehouse storage, validated packaging, calibrated loggers, temperature excursion investigation and product release by a named Responsible Person.

Responsible Person: Mr Brian Lindsay

Validated Packaging and Loggers

Packaging configurations are qualified against transit duration and ambient temperature profiles for each destination. Data loggers are calibrated and traceable, with data downloaded and archived on receipt at every stage.

Validated pack-out  |  Calibrated loggers

Heathrow Logistics Base

Our Harmondsworth location places goods within minutes of Heathrow cargo handling. Shorter pre-flight tarmac time means less thermal risk before the flight, and direct long-haul routes to GCC, African and Asian hubs minimise transit exposure.

Heathrow proximity  |  Direct long-haul routes
How Our Cold Chain Runs
Four Stages, One Continuous
Temperature Record.

Each stage of a cold chain shipment is individually controlled and documented. The output is a complete evidence file alongside the product.

Stage 01
01
Pre-Shipment Qualification
We confirm the product's required range, destination transit time and ambient temperature profile. Packaging configuration is selected from a validated matrix and logger positioned per SOP.
Stage 02
02
Controlled Pack-Out
Pre-conditioned gel packs or phase-change material are loaded in a qualified cold room. Product is loaded last to minimise exposure. Pack-out is completed within the qualified working window.
Stage 03
03
Monitored Transit
Shipment is handed off to a cold-chain-qualified freight forwarder. Flights are priority scheduled to minimise tarmac time. Customs documentation is prepared in advance to prevent transit delays at destination.
Stage 04
04
Release on Receipt
On delivery, the consignee downloads the logger and we issue a release document confirming the temperature profile. Any excursion is investigated and documented before product is cleared for use.
Products We Ship Cold Chain
Categories Routinely Handled
in Temperature Control.

The product classes below represent the majority of our cold chain throughput. If your requirement is not listed, it almost certainly still fits, submit an enquiry and we will confirm.

🔬
Oncology Cold Chain
Cold-stored chemotherapy, targeted therapies and other temperature-sensitive oncology medicines with strict temperature control from pack to hospital pharmacy.
🧪
Clinical Trial IMPs
Investigational Medicinal Products for sponsors and CROs, with GDP-grade handling and documentation suitable for regulatory inspection.
💊
Specialist Injectables
Temperature-sensitive injectables, ophthalmics, hormonal products and niche specialist formulations shipped within the marketing authorisation holder's range.
Submit a Cold Chain Enquiry
What to tell us
for an accurate quote.

Cold chain quotes depend on packaging qualification, freight routing and destination transit time. The more detail you provide, the tighter and more reliable the quote.

Submit a Cold Chain Enquiry →

⚡ Same-day response  ·  WhatsApp us directly

1
Product and temperature range
Medicine name, strength, formulation, and the required range (2-8 degC, frozen, controlled room temperature).
2
Quantity and pack sizes
Unit volumes and packaging dimensions drive freight weight and pack-out configuration.
3
Destination country and airport
Final delivery city or airport. Ambient temperature at destination influences packaging duration.
4
Target delivery window
Urgent, specific date or rolling programme. Drives air freight routing and priority.
5
Destination handling capability
Does the consignee have cold room receipt, logger download equipment, same-day onward distribution?
6
Programme or tender context
Optional. One-off, recurring supply or tender. Recurring programmes benefit from optimised pack configurations.

Need Cold Chain Supply from the UK?

Tell us the product, temperature range and destination. We respond the same working day with packaging, freight and handling options. GDP documentation included with every shipment.

Frequently Asked Questions
Cold Chain Supply, Explained.

Common questions from hospital pharmacists, programme managers and procurement leads sourcing from the UK.

What is pharma cold chain logistics?
Pharma cold chain logistics is the temperature-controlled movement of pharmaceutical products from manufacturer to patient. It covers validated packaging, calibrated temperature monitoring, GDP-compliant storage, certified air freight handling, and documented customs clearance, all designed to keep medicines within their licensed temperature range from pack-out to delivery.
What is the difference between pharma cold chain and pharma logistics?
General pharma logistics covers the movement of any medicine in any temperature range, including ambient products. Pharma cold chain logistics is the subset that handles temperature-sensitive products requiring controlled storage and transit. Most temperature-sensitive medicines require cold chain handling at 2-8 degC, with some requiring frozen storage.
Which products require pharmaceutical cold chain packaging?
Pharmaceutical cold chain packaging is required for any product whose marketing authorisation specifies a temperature range outside controlled room temperature. This includes many injectables, eye drops after opening, some ophthalmics, clinical trial investigational medicinal products and a range of specialist therapies.
What does cold chain pharmaceutical supply mean?
Cold chain supply is the uninterrupted temperature-controlled handling of medicines from manufacturer to end user. For temperature-sensitive medicines this means maintaining 2-8 degC throughout storage, packing, transit and delivery, with continuous temperature monitoring and GDP-compliant documentation.
What temperature ranges can Euro Biom handle?
We routinely ship 2-8 degC refrigerated, 15-25 degC controlled room temperature, and frozen at -20 degC or below. Each consignment uses validated packaging qualified for the destination transit time and ambient conditions.
How is temperature monitored in transit?
Every shipment carries at least one calibrated data logger recording continuously from pack-out to delivery. On receipt, the consignee downloads the data and we issue a temperature report. Any excursion is investigated and documented before product release.
Can you ship cold chain to GCC and Africa?
Yes. We routinely ship to GCC states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman) and to African destinations (Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda). Packaging is selected per destination.
What happens if there is a temperature excursion?
Excursions are investigated through a documented quality process against manufacturer stability data. If the excursion sits within allowable temperature-time limits, the product is released. If not, it is quarantined and replaced.
Do cold chain shipments cost more?
Yes, meaningfully. Validated packaging, loggers, priority freight and specialist handling all carry a cost premium. We present a transparent breakdown at quotation so packaging, freight and handling are visible separately.