Sample Management Bringing Efficient and Sustainable Ultra-low Temperature Solutions to the Lab

Related Vendors

Azenta UK Ltd.

KNF Neuberger GmbH

As the number and complexity of samples and drug products grows, pharmaceutical and biotechnology organisations are facing challenges in storing samples requiring ultra-low temperatures. However, advanced solutions exist to overcome these challenges — solutions that introduce centralisation, automation, innovation, and third-party services to sample management.

The volume of biological samples requiring storage at ultra-low temperatures (ULT; –80°C) is rising. Storing material at such low temperatures is important to slow activity and prevent damage to biological samples and drug products, whether these be temperature-sensitive therapies, vaccines, biomolecules, or otherwise. Keeping samples so cold also means that they can be transported longer distances while remaining safe and stable, an important logistical consideration for R&D occurring across multiple lab sites. Currently, the most-used ULT storage systems in labs are manual freezers, and for higher-volume needs, ‘freezer farms’, which comprise numerous dedicated ULT freezers for sample preservation. While manual freezers are likely to remain a common ULT storage solution for lower-volume requirements, such as at the research stage of pharmaceutical R&D, demand for storage space for ULT samples is growing at later stages of the drug development lifecycle (at clinical trial or finished product stages, for instance). This growth looks set to continue. With this in mind, organisations are seeking new ways to handle larger sample volumes and manage their sample inventories more efficiently and sustainably — and with better regulatory control — so they can bring therapies to market faster and maintain a competitive advantage.

Current Challenges and a Route to Better Sample Management

While utilizing multiple manual freezers is a prevalent solution for the ULT storage of drug products and samples, this brings various challenges for labs to navigate.