JV makes ‘stability timer’ logistics tech to protect cell and gene therapies

BioLife Solutions and Savsu Technologies said the technology will be incorporated into Savsu’s evo.is cold chain software offering. The patent – to be issued on April 10, 2018 – covers Biologic stability, delivery logistics and administration of time and/or temperature sensitive biologic based materials​ (9,939,422 and 9,939,423).

The US-headquartered firms formed a joint venture (JV) in 2014 to develop precision thermal shipping containers under Savsu’s evo brand.

A Savsu spokesperson told us the patent covers a payload “stability timer” – also known as a “shelf life” timer in the evo.is cold chain offering – to help transport and protect high value payloads, such as cell and gene therapies.

The timer tracks the remaining stability time and informs clinicians and relevant parties via a messaging system. 

“Manufactured, personalized cell therapy doses are temperature- and time-sensitive payloads that must be administered to the patient within a validated stability period or shelf life,” ​the spokesperson explained.

It is easy for busy employees in hospital receiving areas to set aside or overlook a package that has a time sensitive payload, the spokesperson told us.

However, in the event of a delay in transit, the timer provides a “helpful reminder,” ​so that “all parties can evaluate the situation and possible corrective actions in relation to the time left on the timer.”​

Pack-out errors​

The patent also detects cold packs and the biologic payload container to help reduce pack-out errors.

“Alerting pack-out technicians that the shipping container is not packed out correctly could mean the difference between a cancer patient being administered a viable CAR T-cell therapy vs. receiving cells that were dead on arrival,” ​said the spokesperson.

The joint venture has received two USPTO patients to date and has 11 additional patent applications pending, covering hardware and software.