UPS and FedEx Accelerate Cold-Chain Logistics for GLP-1 and Other Biologics

The market for injectable GLP-1 drugs such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound has expanded rapidly. A July Gallup poll reported that 11 % of Americans were using GLP-1 medications for weight loss in 2026, up from 3 % in 2024. Growth Market Reports projects an 8.3 % compound-annual growth rate for temperature-sensitive biologics through 2033, reaching a market value of roughly $39.1 billion. The Food and Drug Administration has warned that improper temperature control during shipping can compromise drug efficacy, urging patients to avoid products that arrive “warm or with insufficient refrigeration.”

CNBC

UPS announced a $48 million investment in temperature-controlled facilities in June, citing “rapid growth” in biologics, cell and gene therapies, and the narrow margin for temperature error. FedEx launched a dedicated life-sciences organization earlier this month to support pharmaceutical transport. Both firms are positioning their existing airline schedules, lift capabilities, and hardened networks to meet the heightened complexity of GLP-1 delivery, which now includes injectables, oral pills, and direct-to-consumer shipments.

CNBC

UPS CEO Carol Tomé reported that the company’s global healthcare portfolio generated its first $3 billion healthcare-revenue quarter in Q1 2026. FedEx’s Chief Customer Officer Brie Carere told analysts that healthcare transportation revenue for fiscal year 2026 reached nearly $10 billion. These figures underscore the growing profitability of cold-chain logistics as pharmaceutical manufacturers seek reliable partners for end-to-end visibility and control.

CNBC

John Bolla, UPS president of healthcare, said the company is seeing more health-care firms seeking partners to handle increasing volume and complexity. Nick Gennari, FedEx president of healthcare, emphasized the patient-centric nature of the business, noting that each delivery ultimately affects a person awaiting treatment. He also pointed to FedEx’s machine-learning engine that provides predictive product-movement insights and its existing cold-chain infrastructure as competitive advantages.

CNBC

• “One of the biggest opportunities we see is supporting the shift toward more specialized therapies and more care delivered outside of traditional healthcare settings,” — Healthcare John Bolla

CNBC

• “We're building end-to-end solutions focused on global pharma customers, and what's so important with global pharma is that you have to recognize that there's a patient at the end of every delivery or someone that's waiting to be treated,” — Nick Gennari, FedEx's president of healthcare

CNBC