What Specific Pharma does

Specific Pharma A/S is a Copenhagen-headquartered pharmaceutical services company, founded in 2010 as a spin-off from Danish wholesaler Nomeco to serve unmet demand for unlicensed medicines not marketed in Denmark. The company has since become the largest provider of unlicensed medicines and clinical trial supply in the Nordic countries and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of PHOENIX group, the European pharmaceutical wholesaler spanning 26 countries. Its service portfolio combines two interrelated lines: (1) sourcing and distribution of unlicensed and named-patient medicines to patients, healthcare professionals, pharmacies, and hospitals, and (2) Clinical Trial Supply Management (CTSM), which integrates study planning, GMP-compliant packaging and labelling (including Just-In-Time and double-blinded setups), global IMP distribution with temperature-controlled logistics, IMP expiry extension, clinical pass-through, and returns handling. The company also offers MA-Holder services covering post-trial access, shortage mitigation, staggered launches, and discontinuation management, alongside multi-temperature warehousing and distribution across facilities in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

The underlying operating backbone is a regulatory-grade pharmaceutical logistics platform with GDP- and GMP-compliant infrastructure, a Quality Management System, and a full set of Danish-issued authorisations (GDP human and veterinary, GMP IMP/human/veterinary, MIA, WDA, EUF for controlled substances). Proprietary operational capabilities include CTSM as a specialised sub-brand, documented IMP expiry extension, and pharmacist-led sourcing across a network of 75 suppliers worldwide. The technology layer is process- and compliance-driven rather than software-driven; no APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML components are disclosed, and the platform is differentiated by regulatory licensing, physical infrastructure, and domain expertise rather than algorithmic tooling.

Specific Pharma monetises through a mix of transaction-fee-based unlicensed medicine distribution, professional services for CTSM engagements, managed services for warehousing and distribution, and fee-based MA-Holder services. The go-to-market is sales-led, executed by territory-specific Business Development Managers and Key Account Managers covering Denmark, Sweden, Holland/Norway, and the Baltics/Iceland/export markets, with direct engagement supported by a LinkedIn presence and a self-service client web portal. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is contracted per engagement. Roughly half of revenue is generated outside Denmark via export, and the company reports support for 100+ clinical studies across 20+ countries.

Name

Specific Pharma

Legal name

Specific Pharma A/S

Website

https://specificpharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Specific Pharma A/S is a Copenhagen-based pharmaceutical services company and subsidiary of PHOENIX group that supplies unlicensed medicines and provides Clinical Trial Supply Management to patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmaceutical companies across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Distribution & Clinical Trial Supply Services

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Pharma & Biologics Distribution (GDP-compliant) (HLAGAMAD)

Keywords

• Clinical trial supply
• Unlicensed medicines
• Pharmaceutical distribution
• Investigational medicinal products
• Pharmaceutical logistics services

Headquarters

HQ city

Köpenhamn

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Unlicensed Medicines Distribution: Sourcing and distributing unlicensed medicines to patients with unmet medical needs, healthcare professionals, and pharmacies. Services provided on named patient basis, compassionate use permit, or special permit basis.
2. Clinical Trial Supply Management (CTSM): Comprehensive services for clinical trial supply including product forecasting, study planning, IMP packaging and labeling, global distribution, and returns handling. Supports both global pharmaceutical companies and investigator-initiated trials.
3. MA-Holder Services: Assisting pharmaceutical companies in making products available across European countries prior to and after marketing authorisation. Includes post-trial access, temporary supply during drug shortages, staggered global launches, and discontinuation management.
4. Warehousing and Distribution: Storage and distribution services for pharmaceutical companies in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Covers ambient, cold chain, frozen temperatures, controlled drugs, and cytostatic agents. GDP-compliant facilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Specific Pharma sources, warehouses, and distributes unlicensed medicines for patients with unmet medical needs and provides Clinical Trial Supply Management (CTSM) for global clinical trials, including study planning, GMP packaging and labelling, IMP distribution, returns, and IMP expiry extension. Operations are run from GDP- and GMP-compliant facilities in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands, serving pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, and patients in Europe and internationally.

Product overview

Specific Pharma operates as a unified pharmaceutical services platform offering two core service areas: unlicensed medicines provision (including named patient basis, compassionate use, and special permits) and Clinical Trial Supply Management (CTSM). The CTSM department integrates multiple service modules including Study Planning, Packaging and Labeling, Distribution and Returns, and Warehousing across facilities in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands. The MA-Holder Services module extends support throughout the pharmaceutical product lifecycle. Together, these services provide end-to-end pharmaceutical logistics and access solutions for patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmaceutical companies across Europe and globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CTSM (Clinical Trial Supply Management): A highly specialised department providing solutions within clinical trial supply, offering warehousing, distribution, packaging, forecasting, and more for clinical trials.

Products and services

• Unlicensed Medicines Core offering: sourcing and distributing medicines not marketed in the customer's country on named patient basis, compassionate use permit, or special permit. Served to patients with unmet medical needs, healthcare professionals, and pharmacies in the Nordics and beyond.
• Clinical Trial Supply Management (CTSM) Comprehensive clinical trial supply service covering warehousing, distribution, packaging, forecasting, and return handling. Supports global pharmaceutical companies and investigator-initiated trials across more than 20 countries.
• MA-Holder Services Support for pharmaceutical companies throughout the product lifecycle: post-trial patient access, temporary supply during drug shortages, staggered global launches, and discontinuation management across European countries before and after marketing authorisation.
• Warehousing and Distribution GDP-compliant storage and global distribution of pharmaceutical products, covering ambient, cold chain, frozen temperatures, controlled drugs, and cytostatic agents from facilities in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
• Study Planning Clinical trial supply expertise including product forecast, shipment setup design, ongoing site resupply, packaging design, and comparator sourcing for global studies.
• Packaging and Labeling GMP repackaging and labelling services for marketed and IMP products, including customised clinical trial packaging, Just-in-Time labelling, double-blinded setup, and secondary packaging to support protocol changes.
• Distribution and Returns Global IMP distribution with full traceability, IMP expiry extension, Clinical Pass-Through import control with direct delivery to site personnel in Denmark, import/export of controlled substances with annual reporting, and documented return and destruction handling.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 products available quickly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PHOENIX groupcoreOthersSpecific Pharma is a subsidiary of PHOENIX group, Europe's leading pharmaceutical wholesaler operating across 26 European countries. PHOENIX group provides corporate governance, data protection policies, compliance frameworks, and reporting systems. The relationship is parent-subsidiary rather than a traditional partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Catalent: Large, US-listed pharma services platform covering clinical supply services, softgel and biologics manufacturing, and drug development. Overlaps with Specific Pharma on CTSM within a much broader service portfolio.
• IQVIA: Largest global CRO and life sciences services firm with integrated clinical trial supplies capabilities. Competes for enterprise CTSM contracts that Specific Pharma also targets, though as part of a far broader clinical research stack.

Direct peers

• Marken: UPS Healthcare-owned global clinical trial supply chain and logistics provider offering IMP distribution, cold chain, and returns management. Closely mirrors Specific Pharma's CTSM distribution and returns service.
• Clinigen Group: UK-headquartered specialty pharma company focused on the supply of unlicensed, compassionate-use, and expanded-access medicines plus clinical trial supply services. Directly comparable to Specific Pharma in named-patient distribution and CTSM offerings.
• Almac Group: Northern Ireland-headquartered pharma services firm providing clinical trial packaging, labeling, distribution, and returns services. Direct overlap with Specific Pharma's Packaging & Labeling and CTSM modules.
• Fisher Clinical Services (Thermo Fisher Scientific / PPD): Integrated within Thermo Fisher's PPD clinical research services, providing global clinical trial supply, packaging, and distribution. Competes for the same multinational pharma CTSM accounts as Specific Pharma.
• Durbin (CLH Group): UK-based specialist pharmaceutical wholesaler distributing unlicensed medicines, clinical trial supplies, and named-patient products globally. Directly comparable niche peer for unlicensed medicines and CTSM distribution.

Others

• Alloga: European pre-wholesale pharmaceutical distribution network operating as a sister company within PHOENIX group. Adjacent rather than direct: comparable pharmaceutical distribution capabilities within the same parent group infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedIndk.linkedin.com/company/specific-pharma

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Specific Pharma