Freezing and thawing cells and tissues is bad for them. Some die, some change their function – and this may not be observed until it’s too late.
The Atelerix hedgehog hibernates when the temperature drops below about 20°C.
We needed a new approach to transporting cells across the world – one that treats cells as the sensitive, living entities that they are, and all of our products can place cells and tissues into a state of hibernation, protecting them from harm during storage and transportation.
The 2D and 3D cell models used in today’s drug discovery and testing processes are increasingly complex, and a rule of thumb is that the greater their physiological relevance, the more fragile they are – particularly in regard to storage and transport.
Cells as therapies must arrive at the bedside with full efficacy and with no impact on patient safety, yet most autologous therapies cannot be frozen and must be delivered fresh. The consequences are very short shelf lives, measured in hours. Thawed cell therapies need time in culture to regain full efficacy, with serious consequences for logistics and cGMP challenges.
