SAP solutions integrated into Moderna’s backbone consisting of supply chain management and ERP software by SAP enabled the company’s vaccine development and distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For SAP, co-innovation with its customers across various industries is crucial in delivering the right solutions and adapting to the rapidly changing market dynamics. In particular, this strategy is apparent in the software giant’s work with the life sciences sector. Moderna, a biotechnology firm that pioneers the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines to produce medicines for a wide range of diseases and conditions, implements SAP software and applications including SAP S/4HANA as its ERP system.
By deploying other solutions on top of Moderna’s core ERP, SAP Digital Supply Chain helps with the serialisation and distribution of the pharmaceutical company’s mRNA-1273 vaccine against COVID-19. In December, the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has authorised the mRNA-1273 vaccine for use in the general public. Additionally, marketing authorisation valid throughout the European Union was also granted by the European Medicines Agency in January this year.
“Never before have scientists and pharmaceutical companies focused so intently on the development of a vaccine both with manpower and money. Never before was the urge to deliver more pressing. And never before was our chance to truly help the world run better and improve people’s lives greater,” Christian Klein, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Executive Board at SAP, shared in December.
SAP’s ERP Software Supports Moderna’s Vaccine Development and Distribution
The following solutions integrated into Moderna’s existing supply chain management and ERP software by SAP allows the company to have a comprehensive view of its end-to-end processes:
- Designed to prevent counterfeit medications from reaching patients and consumers, the SAP Advanced Track and Trace for Pharmaceuticals solution helps Moderna to comply with international legislation that includes the verification of pharmaceutical product packs in case of evidently suspect products or returns. Through the application’s serial number management, regulatory reporting, and corporate serialisation repository capabilities, the biotech firm is able to leverage an end-to-end blockchain enabled supply chain system.
- To foster collaboration with contract manufacturers and wholesale distributors in the supply chain, Moderna also utilises SAP Information Collaboration Hub for Life Sciences, a public cloud network that enables participation among pharmaceutical supply chain trading partners. The solution uses a digital network based on SAP Cloud Platform and allows trading partners to exchange large amounts of associated traceability and serialisation data.
Helping Moderna Transition ‘from a Startup to a Leader in the Vaccine Market’
Moreover, Moderna’s case was also discussed during a recent virtual event titled “Maximising the Value of M&A Through Technology,” sponsored by SAP North America in partnership with the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG).
In the online conference, Tom Reul, Senior Account Executive at Answerthink, stated that SAP’s preconfigured solutions can be implemented in weeks rather than months. In 2017, Moderna worked with Answerthink — an SAP Platinum Partner which helps deploy SAP software in the life sciences space — to build an IT foundation that scales with the business. Crediting SAP’s ERP software for Moderna’s transition to a major player during the COVID-19 pandemic, Reul further remarked:
“Without knowledge of COVID-19 even coming down the line, Moderna was able to support the transition from a startup to a leader in the vaccine market.”
According to Moderna, it has already delivered over 132 million doses so far in 2021 and plans to distribute another 300 million more in the coming months to help battle the increasing number of coronavirus variants.
Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) added Moderna’s mRNA 1273 to its Emergency Use Listing (EUL), making it the fifth COVID-19 vaccine to receive emergency validation from the United Nations’ specialised agency responsible for international public health. Vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Serum Institute of India, and Janssen have also been listed for emergency use by the WHO.
“In these times, intelligent enterprises can make a difference. The development of a new vaccine within just one year is an unbelievable accomplishment, and we at SAP are ready to help deliver it to all parts of the world,” CEO Klein concluded in his blog post last December.
