With two product innovations in the low-temperature range, va-Q-tec now offers the most comprehensive portfolio of temperature-controlled transport solutions for pharmaceutical and biotech companies

Würzburg, 05 April 2022. Cell & gene therapy holds enormous potential to cure serious diseases such as cancer or stubborn viral infections. To make this a reality, cell & gene companies have to transport blood and cell cultures over long distances at consistently low temperatures – more precisely: at very low temperatures. This is where the thermal packaging from va-Q-tec, the pioneer of highly efficient solutions in the field of thermal insulation and temperature-controlled supply chains, can help. In April 2022, two product innovations will strengthen va-Q-tec’s range of thermal packaging systems and expand the qualified temperature ranges previously covered. The va-Q-proof solution enables transport of clincal-pharmaceutical products at -70 °C and the va-Q-genic solution at -150 °C for cryogenic transports. This makes va-Q-tec one of the few suppliers on the market  that  offers its customers thermal packaging for the temperature range from -196 °C to +25 °C. In the case of va-Q-genic, liquid nitrogen is used, and in the case of va-Q-proof for -70°C shipments, dry ice is used instead of the phase change material.

Versatile, customer-friendly, sustainable

The vision of the optimal use of thermal energy was the core idea when va-Q-tec was founded over 20 years ago. After the company had already achieved  climate neutrality at all its locations worldwide, va-Q-tec also attached great importance to the lowest possible CO2 footprint in its product developments. For example, the amount of dry ice required for va-Q-proof for -70 °C shipments has been reduced compared to the solutions  currently predominantly used in this market segment. The use of liquid nitrogen to maintain the temperature in the va-Q-genic solution has a positive effect on the carbon footprint: The production of liquid nitrogen produces 50 percent less CO2 emissions than the production of dry ice, and  nitrogen is not a greenhouse gas. Thus, va-Q-tec once again lives up to its claim of creating efficient and customised thermal packaging – now also for the cryogenic temperature range –  whichprotects the customers’ products and minimises costs.

“With the new thermal packaging va-Q-proof for -70 °C shipments and va-Q-genic, we want to support the so-called cell & gene companies in the clinical or commercial phase as well as in the field of diagnostic care in their use for side-effect-free, safe and advanced therapies. At the same time, these product innovations once again underline the safety, cost efficiency and sustainability for which our company and our solutions are known”, explains Dr Joachim Kuhn, CEO and founder of va-Q-tec.