Cranbury, NJ — October 19, 2006 — Pharmaceutical manufacturer AstraZeneca said this week it has selected SYSTECH International's TIPS Serialized Product Tracking solution as part of a broad global initiative that addresses authentication and combats counterfeiting of pharmaceutical drugs.
In a sweeping effort to increase patient safety and combat counterfeit drug products, AstraZeneca will add 2D Data Matrix Bar-Code Serialization into its strategic product security initiatives. The initiative will allow AstraZeneca's internal resources to more readily investigate suspect product in the marketplace and eventually empower both supply chain partners and consumers to authenticate products.
The initiative is a multi-phase project designed to protect key AstraZeneca brands wherever they are manufactured and distributed throughout the world. The first two phases of the project include enabling 25 packaging lines across 12 worldwide sites.
Ultimately, this is expected to enable AstraZeneca to improve patient safety, and ensure product authenticity and brand integrity. The company has initiated a unilateral approach to implement a flexible platform solution that will allow them to anticipate and adapt as industry standards emerge.
"SYSTECH has substantial experience in helping pharmaceutical manufacturers ensure the quality, safety and security of their products and supply chain," said Ian Haynes, principle pharmaceutical engineer, AstraZeneca. "The inclusion of the TIPS Serialized Product Tracking solution provides us with a scalable solution that allows AstraZeneca to meet changing market requirements and effectively respond to global product security challenges."
TIPS Serialized Product Tracking is part of SYSTECH's suite of machine vision inspection, packaging line automation and information management solutions. The software supplies mass serialization of products at the item, case and pallet level to facilitate e-Pedigree, authentication and track and trace operations.
