Cytiva, previously GE Life Sciences, stated that the product is the first liquid nitrogen-free cryogenic shipment system designed for cell therapies.
The product, known as VIA Capsule (pictured, below right), is formed of three parts: a shipper unit, an integrated smart monitor, and a cryocooler.
As a result, the unit can be used to transport cells through the entire supply chain, from manufacturer to the patient.
In August 2020, cell therapy manufactures in Europe and the US will be able to work with demo units for validation testing and Cytiva will begin fulfilling customer orders from September 2020.
Caterina Flyborg, VP of Cytiva’s cell and gene therapy unit, told BioPharma-Reporter that the company would use the upcoming BIO International Convention to discuss the product with its customers and partners through virtual meetings.
In terms of how this product differs from current methods, Flyborg suggested that VIA Capsule would improve on the ‘complexities and inefficiencies’ of existing shipping methods.
When asked to expand, she told us that “traditional shipping methods are labor intensive, require specific infrastructure and a lot of time to prepare and process shipments, in addition to the safety materials and training required to handle liquid nitrogen shipments.”
The product will be rolled out alongside World Courier, through an expanded collaboration, within the company’s distribution network. Being part of this network will allow VIA Capsule to be held ‘on-charge’ if an unscheduled delay occurs during transit.
Flyborg explained that the rapid growth of the cell therapy market, which had resulted in such therapies being approved at an accelerated rate compared to other therapies, had left a resulting delay in the improvement of related infrastructure.
She concluded, “For the full promise of cellular therapies to be realized, we must unite the vein-to-vein workflow by connecting the clinical, logistics and manufacturing laboratory-based workflow steps like we do with the VIA Capsule.”