UPS Healthcare Logistics chooses Cryoport for trackable cryogenic shipments

Saying that “There is a growing spectrum of demand across tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, gene therapy, biopharmaceutical research and reproductive health,” John Menna, UPS VP of global strategy for healthcare logistics, has announced a relationship with Cryoport (Lake Forest, CA), which has commercialized a cryogenic-range temperature-controlled shipping service. Under the Temperature True Cryo service, UPS will handle pickup, shipping and delivery of the Cryoport containers which, at customers’ option, can include the UPS Proactive Response Secure service that includes monitoring, insurance and intervention in shipment transitions.

Cryoport’s innovative services comprises an aluminum dewar (bottle) with three capacity ranges between 75 and 500 small vials. The vials are placed within an inner sleeve in the dewar, which is charged with liquid nitrogen (LN2) to maintain -150°C conditions for up to 10 days. (This extended range allows Cryoport to have a charged dewar delivered to a lab, await its load-up, and then arrange for transportation to a wide range of locations.) LN2 avoids a complication in cold chain shipping of life science materials: a common alternative, dry ice, is rated as a hazardous material in air freight, and large volumes of dry ice-laden containers need to be managed carefully to avoid affecting the interior atmosphere of air cargo chambers. Cryoport has similar partnering agreements with FedEx and DHL.