Covectra unveils low-cost serialization suite AT Prime

Covectra has launched an entry-level serialization platform aimed at smaller pharma companies who need to comply with EU and US requirements on medicines traceability.

The new system - called AT Prime - is being showcased this week at the Pharmapack Europe event in Paris and according to Covectra chief executive Steve Wood "is cost-effective, powerful, compact, and yet provides comprehensive functionality."

AT Prime includes access to Covectra's cloud-based AuthentiTrack for provision and management of serial numbers, and includes an interface to AT Cloud, a GS1 certified EPCIS database, which can be used to support supply chain, third-party connectivity and regulatory compliance.

The system will allow companies to meet the delegated regulation elements of the EU's Falsified Medicines Directive (2011/62/EU), as well as US legislation such as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), Unique Device Identification (UDI) requirements for medical devise and the Food Safety & Modernization Act (FSMA).

"AT Prime is designed for rapid installation and validation, recognizing the pressure on today's pharmaceutical serialization budgets," Wood told SecuringIndustry.com, adding that he sees the platform as a key part of its strategy to become a prominent player in the European serialization industry not only in pharma but also the medical device, food/beverage and consumer goods sectors.

"It provides a complete integrated solution for International Society of Automation (ISA) serialization level 5 to level 0 - at a price that is considerably lower than competitive serialization systems, he added.

AT Prime can initially be configured for primary package serialization, while secondary and tertiary packaging levels and aggregation can either be installed from the outset or added at a later date.

Covectra entered the serialization sector several years ago with its level 5 cloud-based AuthentiTrack database, and has drawn on the experience with implementing that platform in packaging sites and packaging lines to develop the entry level system.

"We observed the complexities, limitations, inefficiencies, and high costs of the site and line serialization sub-systems," said Wood, who noted that AT Prime has been designed based on open to adapt to an evolving serialization environment with a practical, low cost solution that can be deployed quickly and efficiently to serialize units of trade and enable track-and-trace and deter counterfeiting.

"Many manufacturers are struggling to meet compliance in a timely fashion to avoid fines and disruptions to their supply chain network," according to Wood.