LogoCLEARANCE
Aerial view of cargo port at dawn with shipping containers
$4.2B
in pharma shipments cleared
99.7%
first-attempt release rate
14,300+
FDA-regulated entries processed

Your broker should know
21 CFR Part 211 better
than your QA team.

Clearance moves temperature-sensitive biologics, monoclonal antibodies, and small molecules across U.S. borders — navigating FDA holds, cold chain documentation, and import alerts so your shipment arrives with potency intact and paperwork bulletproof.

SCROLL
0%
cold-chain deviation incidents, 2023–2025

Every biologic shipment we handle travels through a documented cold chain protocol — from GMP lot release at origin through FDA-supervised port entry to 3PL handoff. Temperature excursions trigger immediate deviation reports, not silence.

COLD_CHAIN_HANDOFF_SEQUENCE.v3
ORIGINManufacturer Release
2°C–8°C

GMP lot release, CoA verification, qualified person sign-off

TRANSITAir Freight Cold Box
2°C–8°C

IoT data loggers, IATA P650 compliance, dry ice management

ENTRYPort of Entry Filing
MONITORED

ISF 10+2, ACE entry, FDA Prior Notice — filed 24h pre-arrival

CBP/FDACustoms Examination
ACTIVE

PARS pre-screening, temperature log submission, hold resolution

RELEASEFDA Release & Delivery
2°C–8°C

Notice of FDA Action, chain of custody transfer, 3PL handoff

2°C – 8°C
Temperature Range
standard biologic
−70°C
Ultra-Low Temp
mAb / gene therapy
± 0.5°C
Excursion Threshold
deviation trigger
5 min
Data Logger Interval
IoT sampling rate
21 CFR 211.68Computer systems for temperature monitoring
21 CFR 211.100Written procedures; deviations from written procedures
USP <1079>Good storage and distribution practices for drug products
WHO TRS 961Model guidance for temperature-controlled medicines storage
GDP 2013/C 68/01EU good distribution practice guidelines
DSCSA EDDS COMPLIANT — MAY 2025

Full serialization and traceability requirements met for all prescription drug imports. Non-compliant shipments face up to $500,000 in FDA fines — we handle this before the shipment leaves origin.

847
FDA import alerts resolved — 2009 to present

Most brokers treat FDA compliance as a checkbox. We treat it as an engineering problem with a documented solution for every failure mode — from prior notice rejection to Schedule II controlled substance import authorization.

100%
automated prior notice filings

FDA Prior Notice Automation

AI-powered submission engine files Prior Notice of Imported Food and Drug entries 24 hours pre-arrival, integrating directly with FDA systems for real-time validation. Zero manual transcription errors.

  • PNSI (Prior Notice System Interface) direct integration
  • Automatic PN number generation and tracking
  • Real-time FDA acknowledgment confirmation
  • Rejection alerts with corrective action in < 15 minutes
Regulatory basis: 21 CFR Parts 1, 11, 207, 210, 211, 314 · FDA Import Program · CBP ACE
11.4 hrs
average clearance time, port-of-entry to FDA release — 2024 YTD

Industry average: 28–72 hours. Our 11.4-hour average is the result of pre-filing automation, prior notice submission at origin, and ACE integration that routes entries through automated selectivity before your cargo lands.

PRE-FILINGPre-Arrival Documentation
−4.2h
PRIOR NOTICEFDA Prior Notice Automation
−2.8h
ISF 10+2Importer Security Filing
−1.9h
ACE INTEGRATIONAutomated Entry Processing
−2.5h
TOTAL AVERAGE TIME SAVED
vs. manual filing broker
−11.4h
01
Pre-Arrival Documentation

Entry summary, commercial invoice, and packing list uploaded to ACE 48h before estimated arrival. CBP targeting algorithms process before wheels down.

02
FDA Prior Notice Automation

Automated PNSI submission eliminates manual filing delays. Real-time FDA acknowledgment received within 90 seconds of submission.

03
Importer Security Filing

ISF filed 72h pre-vessel departure — not at arrival. Prevents holds triggered by late ISF penalties and CBP exam queuing.

04
Automated Entry Processing

Direct ACE system integration routes entries through automated selectivity. Manual intervention only when CBP exam is mandated.

CBP PORT 4601
NEWARK (EWR)
10.8h
38% of volume
CBP PORT 2704
LONG BEACH (LGB)
11.9h
34% of volume
CBP PORT 5201
MIAMI (MIA)
11.6h
28% of volume
24/7
real-time shipment visibility — no broker calls required

A $2M biologic sitting on a tarmac with no status update is not an acceptable situation. Our visibility platform gives supply chain directors, regulatory affairs managers, and 3PL coordinators the same real-time data our operations team sees.

CLEARANCE_VISIBILITY_PLATFORM — ENTRY ACE-7741-B
LIVE
PRODUCT
Trastuzumab 150mg
PORT
Newark (EWR)
TEMP
4.2°C ✓
06:14 EST
ENTRY FILED
ISF 10+2 confirmed — CBP Port 4601
06:31 EST
PRIOR NOTICE ACKNOWLEDGED
FDA PNSI PN# 2024-0441-7738-9
07:02 EST
CBP AUTOMATED RELEASE
No exam selected — selectivity GREEN
08:55 EST
FDA MAY PROCEED
Notice of FDA Action issued via ITACS
09:12 EST
CARGO AVAILABLE
Cold storage transfer authorized — 4.2°C confirmed
ACE / ITACS
Real-Time Entry Status

Live ACE entry number tracking with ITACS integration — view Notice of FDA Action the moment it's issued, not when your broker remembers to check.

IoT SENSORS
Temperature Telemetry

5-minute interval data logger readings streamed to your dashboard. Any excursion above ±0.5°C triggers an immediate deviation report and corrective action protocol.

DOCUMENT VAULT
Indexed Document Repository

Every entry document — commercial invoice, packing list, CoA, temperature logs, FDA NOA — indexed and searchable. Audit-ready within 15 minutes of any FDA request.

PORT STATUS
Multi-Port Simultaneous Tracking

Managing simultaneous entries at Newark, Long Beach, and Miami? Single dashboard view with port-specific status, exam queues, and estimated release times.

All FDA status data sourced directly from ITACS (itacs.fda.gov) — the FDA's official Import Trade Auxiliary Communication System. No third-party intermediary.

12
dimensions where specialist expertise separates your shipment from a hold

A generic freight broker can file a commercial invoice. They cannot resolve an IA 66-40 import alert, manage a cold chain deviation report, or know that a Type II DMF reference authorization is needed before your API shipment clears.

CAPABILITY DIMENSION
CLEARANCE
Pharma Specialist
GENERIC BROKER
Freight Forwarder
FDA REGULATORY
FDA Prior Notice Filing
Automated PNSI integration
21 CFR Part 211 Expertise
Dedicated pharma regulatory team
Import Alert Resolution (IA 66-40)
847 alerts resolved
Drug Master File Cross-Reference
Type I–V DMF handling
COLD CHAIN
Cold Chain Deviation Protocol
Written SOP, immediate escalation
IoT Temperature Telemetry
5-min interval, real-time alerts
Schedule II–V Controlled Substances
DEA import authorization
TECHNOLOGY
ACE Direct Integration
No manual re-keying
ISF 10+2 Accuracy Rate
Industry avg 81–85%
99.2%
82%
DSCSA Serialization Compliance
EDDS May 2025 compliant
PERFORMANCE
Average Hold Resolution Time
Dedicated FDA liaison
< 48h
5–14 days
First-Attempt Release Rate
Pre-screening eliminates errors
99.7%
~91%

Request a Clearance Audit

Tell us your product type, primary port, and current broker. We'll identify the three most likely compliance gaps in your current import process — within 48 hours.

No commitment. Response within 4 business hours.

FDA HOLD RESOLUTION PLAYBOOK
32-page PDF · Updated Q1 2026 · Free download

Download Our FDA Hold Resolution Playbook

A step-by-step protocol for resolving FDA import holds — covering Import Alert types, Voluntary Admissibility Requests, temperature excursion documentation, and field office escalation. Used by our team on every hold we resolve.

IA 66-40 / 66-41 response templates
Temperature excursion deviation report format
CBP exam escalation decision tree
FDA field office contact directory (all 5 districts)
ITACS status code reference guide