Sentry
Sentry BioPharma Services is a privately-held Indianapolis-based contract service organization providing GMP temperature-controlled pharmaceutical storage, labeling/packaging, and global distribution to drug manufacturers, biotech firms, CMOs, CROs, and government healthcare customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sentry does
Sentry BioPharma Services, Inc. is a privately-held contract service organization (CSO) founded in 2004 in Indianapolis, Indiana, that provides GMP temperature-controlled storage, labeling and packaging, and global pharmaceutical distribution on a B2B contract basis. The company operates across more than ten validated temperature environments from ambient (+15°C to +30°C) through ultra-low and vapor-phase liquid nitrogen (<-135°C), supporting clinical trial material storage, vaccine storage, controlled substances (Schedule III–V), active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) management, and medical device handling for pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotechnology firms, contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs), contract research organizations (CROs), and government healthcare customers.
Its technology stack centers on validated 21 CFR Part 11-compliant Building Management Systems (BMS) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), with proprietary multi-temperature storage environments, advanced real-time tracking (Sensitech Temptale Ultras, Tive live cellular loggers), e-Pedigree and serialization, ERP integration, and multi-layered physical and data security with 200% redundant facility backup power. The 83,000 sq ft headquarters is co-located with Indianapolis International Airport and includes an active Foreign Trade Zone (subzone 72) that provides duty deferral and streamlined customs clearance for pharmaceutical imports and exports. A 50,000 sq ft second US facility was completed in Columbus, Indiana in January 2024, a 55,000 sq ft headquarters expansion was underway for completion by end of 2024, and EU operations are run through wholly-owned subsidiary Sentry BioPharma Services ApS in Copenhagen, Denmark, established in 2023.
Sentry's business model is contract services revenue from multi-year B2B agreements with pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients, priced per quote based on scope of work rather than published tiers, with go-to-market executed via direct enterprise field sales and business development targeting companies that need cGMP, NABP VAWD, and FDA-compliant cold chain handling. The company reports serving 165+ pharmaceutical clients across 45 countries on five continents, processing 40,000+ shipments, and operating with a leadership team whose combined relevant experience exceeds 250 years; the company projects approximately 80 employees in 2024 and is privately-held and founder-led by Tim J. Mitchell with Alex T. Mitchell as EVP.
Sentry firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sentry
- Legal name
- Sentry BioPharma Services, Inc.
- Website
- https://sentrybps.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Sentry BioPharma Services is a privately-held Indianapolis-based contract service organization providing GMP temperature-controlled pharmaceutical storage, labeling/packaging, and global distribution to drug manufacturers, biotech firms, CMOs, CROs, and government healthcare customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sentry industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Logistics
- NAICS
- Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (493120), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Cold Chain Storage (2–8°C / CRT) (TLALABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biologics, Vaccines & Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Storage (TLALABAG), Pharma & Biotech Cold Storage (2–8°C, CRT) (AFAOAFAG), Vaccines & Cold-Chain Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAG)
Keywords
Where Sentry is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Sentry business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Contract Pharmaceutical Services: Sentry generates revenue as a Contract Service Organization (CSO) providing GMP temperature-controlled storage, labeling and packaging, global distribution, clinical trial support, and import/export optimization services on a contract basis to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Services are tailored to client needs across the drug development lifecycle from preclinical through commercial phases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom contract services tailored to client pharmaceutical supply chain needs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sentry product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sentry BioPharma Services operates as a Contract Service Organization (CSO) providing GMP temperature-controlled storage, FDA-compliant labeling and packaging, and global pharmaceutical distribution to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. The company maintains over 10 validated temperature ranges from ambient (+15°C to +30°C) through ultra-low (-70°C to -90°C) and vapor phase liquid nitrogen (<-135°C) to support clinical trial and commercial drug product lifecycles. Services include import/export optimization through Foreign Trade Zone status, clinical trial material management, vaccine storage and distribution, and controlled substance handling.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Controlled Temperature Storage GMP temperature-controlled storage across over 10 validated temperature ranges from ambient (+15°C to +30°C) through ultra-low (-70°C to -90°C) and vapor phase liquid nitrogen (<-135°C). Supports storage of clinical trial materials, commercial drug products, vaccines, APIs, and medical devices.
- Vaccine Storage & Distribution Secure vaccine storage, rotation, tracking, and distribution services for vaccine manufacturers and healthcare organizations, including routine fulfillment and pandemic response stockpiling.
- API Management Specialized Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) storage and management with validated temperature environments and chain-of-custody controls.
- Labeling & Packaging FDA-compliant secondary labeling, kitting, and packaging services for clinical trial materials and commercial pharmaceutical products.
- Global Drug Distribution End-to-end global distribution of pharmaceutical products to clinics, hospitals, and pharmaceutical distributors, with client ERP integration and 24/7 order receipt via web-based interface.
- Foreign Trade Zone Services Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ subzone 72) services at Indianapolis International Airport, enabling duty deferral on pharmaceutical imports, streamlined customs clearance, and enhanced control while awaiting regulatory clearance from CBP, FDA, and DEA.
- Import/Export Solutions Import and export solutions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients, including regulatory documentation, customs clearance coordination, and logistics optimization.
- Contracted Logistics Services Contracted logistics services including freight forwarding coordination, late drop-off capabilities at FedEx hub, and one-day ground access to 75% of US businesses via four major interstates.
- Clinical Trial Support Services End-to-end clinical trial supply chain services including temperature-sensitive material storage, labeling, kitting, distribution, and project management for clinical trials worldwide, supporting CROs and pharmaceutical sponsors across preclinical through commercial phases.
- Controlled Substances Management
Quantifiable outcome
- Zero-loss record across thousands of movements and transactions since inception
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sentry
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sentry technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Sentry partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- VettercoreSentry BioPharma Services and Vetter Development Service USA announced a combined services offering to support new drug development from compound through clinical trials. The partnership integrates Sentry's cold chain management, GMP storage, labeling/kittingservices, and global distribution capabilities with Vetter's clinical trial manufacturing expertise. From planning to filling to tracking, the two companies guide compounds through the clinical trial manufacturing process as a unified offering.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sentry competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- World Courier: Global specialty courier and 3PL for pharma and biotech with GMP-compliant temperature-controlled storage and distribution. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Sentry in pharma cold chain logistics, especially for clinical trial material movement.
- Marken: UPS-owned clinical trial supply chain and pharma logistics provider offering GMP storage, distribution, and returns/destruction. Directly competes with Sentry on clinical trial material handling and global cold chain distribution.
- PCI Pharma Services: Contract pharma services provider offering GMP storage, packaging/labeling, clinical trial supply, and global distribution. Overlaps with Sentry across packaging, storage, and clinical supply services for pharma sponsors.
- Cryoport Systems: Specialty logistics and cryogenic storage provider focused on temperature-controlled life sciences shipping, including cell and gene therapies. Comparable to Sentry in ultra-cold and biologics cold chain handling.
Broad incumbents
- Kuehne+Nagel (Life Sciences & Healthcare): Global logistics incumbent with a dedicated Life Sciences & Healthcare division offering GxP-compliant warehousing, cold chain, and pharma distribution. Competes with Sentry at the enterprise end with a much broader footprint.
- DHL Supply Chain (Life Sciences): Large global 3PL with a Life Sciences specialty covering temperature-controlled storage, pharma distribution, and clinical trial logistics. Competes with Sentry on multi-region pharma contracts with broader scale.
- Catalent: Global CDMO with integrated clinical supply, packaging, and storage services for pharma and biotech. Overlaps with Sentry in clinical trial supply and GMP storage even though Catalent is much larger and broader.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Patheon CDMO): Through Patheon and Clinical Services, offers pharma development, clinical trial supply, and cold chain capabilities. Competes with Sentry for end-to-end clinical trial delivery contracts at a much larger scale.
Emerging players
- BioLife Solutions: Supplier of biopreservation tools and cold chain consumables for cell and gene therapies, including cryogenic storage and shippers. Comparable to Sentry's biologics/ultra-low storage focus, though at the consumables/equipment layer.
Regional players
- Va-Q-tec: European-headquartered provider of high-performance temperature-controlled packaging and cold chain services for pharma. Comparable to Sentry's temperature-controlled offering but primarily serves Europe.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sentry social profiles
Digital presenceSentry financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sentry leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Sentry subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sentry funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sentry M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sentry
What does Sentry do?
Sentry BioPharma Services operates as a Contract Service Organization (CSO) providing GMP temperature-controlled storage, FDA-compliant labeling and packaging, and global pharmaceutical distribution to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. The company maintains over 10 validated temperature ranges from ambient (+15°C to +30°C) through ultra-low (-70°C to -90°C) and vapor phase liquid nitrogen (<-135°C) to support clinical trial and commercial drug product lifecycles. Services include import/export optimization through Foreign Trade Zone status, clinical trial material management, vaccine storage and distribution, and controlled substance handling.
Is Sentry a public or private company?
Sentry is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Sentry founded?
Sentry was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Sentry based?
Sentry is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sentry make money?
One revenue line is on record: contract Pharmaceutical Services.
Who are Sentry's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are World Courier, Marken, PCI Pharma Services and Cryoport Systems. Broad incumbents are Kuehne+Nagel (Life Sciences & Healthcare), DHL Supply Chain (Life Sciences), Catalent and Thermo Fisher Scientific (Patheon CDMO). BioLife Solutions is listed as an emerging player. Va-Q-tec is listed as a regional player.
Does Sentry have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sentry.
What industry is Sentry in?
Sentry's product category is Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Logistics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLALABAF, Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Cold Chain Storage (2–8°C / CRT), with a secondary code of TLALABAG, Biologics, Vaccines & Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Storage. Its NAICS code is 493120 and its SIC code is 5047.