Grifols Implements Its First Automated Inventory Management Carousel System for Investigational Pharmacies at Emory University

LOS ANGELES, July 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Grifols, a global healthcare company based in Barcelona, Spain with more than 15 years of innovation and expertise with automated drug storage and dispensing solutions in European hospital pharmacies, has now implemented its first automated inventory management carousel project in the United States.

Grifols' Hospital Division focuses on specialized technology-based solutions for the hospital pharmacy market. At Emory University Investigational Drug Service, Grifols implemented a SencorpWhite automated carousel inventory management system managed by Genesis Investigational Drug Service (IDS). The Genesis IDS software technology assists with storage efficiency, inventory control and transaction tracking. 

Susan Rogers, RPh Emory University Investigational Drug Service, commented on the impact of the machine, noting, "The carousel system has allowed for considerable savings in space and time.  Inventory is better organized in the carousel, and the Genesis IDS software identifies the exact location of a drug. This saves time when restocking inventory and during the dispensing and cycle count processes. The overall benefit is increased efficiency, quality and ultimately, patient safety."

The system is also interfaced with the Vestigo® Investigational Drug Service (IDS) software used at Emory. Vestigo is the market-leading solution that improves accuracy, efficiency and safety in the IDS industry with automation tools for protocol management, electronic inventory control, dispensing, drug accountability and protocol billing. The combination of Vestigo and the SencorpWhite automated carousel provides enhanced investigational drug storage in a controlled and secured environment, while allowing for full drug accountability. Grifols and the McCreadie Group (who manufactures Vestigo) have a business partnership to provide the hospital investigational pharmacy market a combined inventory management solution.

According to Scott McCreadie, Pharm.D, President of the McCreadie Group, "It is important that Vestigo works with companies such as Grifols to help close the loop on medication storage and security in the IDS market. This combined solution will help the IDS meet their regulatory and drug security needs in a way that is efficient and safe."

Juan M. Cana, General Manager of Grifols' Hospital Division acknowledged the importance Grifols places on the amelioration of IDS management by stating that "today's IDS management is, in many cases, a manually based activity with no technology dedicated to this important area of the hospital pharmacy. IDS faces many challenges each day to support research activities for all research groups and investigators. We believe the time is right to provide a combined solution with technologies that have been specially designed for the IDS to support investigational drug handling, control, and storage, as well as record keeping and drug accountability while increasing IDS efficiency. We think this can be a game changer for IDS activity."

About Grifols

Grifols is a global healthcare company with a 70-year legacy of improving people's health and well-being through the development of life-saving plasma medicines, hospital pharmacy products, and diagnostic technology for clinical use.

As a leading producer of plasma medicines, Grifols has a presence in more than 100 countries and is the world leader in plasma collection, with 150 plasma donation centres across the US. Grifols is committed to increasing patient access to its life-saving plasma medicines through significant manufacturing expansions and the development of new therapeutic applications of plasma proteins. The company is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide.

In 2012, Grifols' sales exceeded 2,620 million euros. The company's class A shares are listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange, where they form part of the Ibex-35 (MCE:GRF).  Its non-voting class B shares are listed on the Mercado Continuo (MCE:GRF.P) and on the US NASDAQ via ADRs (NASDAQ: GRFS). For more information visit www.grifols.com.