DHL Group has acquired 100 percent of the shares of CRYOPDP—a courier service provider for clinical trials, biopharmaceuticals, and cell and gene therapies—from the US company Cryoport Inc., based in Nashville, Tennessee. According to a press release dated 31 March, CRYOPDP operates in 15 countries and handles over 600,000 shipments annually across more than 135 countries.
Oscar de Bok, CEO of DHL Supply Chain, emphasised that the acquisition of CRYOPDP is an important step in expanding the Pharma Specialized Network and meeting the growing demands of specialty pharmaceutical logistics. At the same time, DHL aims to strengthen its presence in the conventional pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Furthermore, efficiency gains will be realised by leveraging the air freight capacities of DHL Express and DHL Global Forwarding.
The logistics group already generates over five billion euros in annual revenue from its life sciences and healthcare business. The acquisition of CRYOPDP will enable DHL to focus even more on temperature-controlled logistics networks, specialised courier services, and integrated supply chain solutions.
“The acquisition of CRYOPDP and the expanded partnership with Cryoport Inc. enables us to offer integrated end-to-end solutions that enhance our capabilities,” added Oscar de Bok.
The transaction is still subject to regulatory approval but already marks an important step in DHL’s 2030 strategy, through which the group aims to position itself as a leading provider of specialised pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics.
Strategic partnership with Cryoport
In addition to the acquisition, DHL is entering into a strategic partnership with Cryoport – a leading provider of supply chain solutions for temperature-controlled biopharmaceutical transport. The aim is to further expand its service offering for the global healthcare sector.
Jerrell Shelton, CEO of Cryoport, sees great potential in the collaboration:
“This partnership enables us to expand our presence in the growth regions of Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. At the same time, customers worldwide benefit from optimised supply chain solutions.”
While DHL benefits from Cryoport’s expertise in cell and gene therapies, the partnership gives Cryoport better access to DHL’s global logistics network.
