Tailor made Laboratory Automation

CASE STUDY - BIOBANK AUTOMATION

How CyRISBio Automated the Management of Several Million Tubes in a Multi-Site Biobank

When qualifying biological samples with major public health implications, even a minor traceability error can have dramatic consequences. Against this backdrop of stringent requirements, a healthcare industry leader chose CyRISBio with automating its sample management.

Nearly ten years later, the system processes millions of tubes across a multi-site network with no documented failures. This case study illustrates how the architecture, co-developed with specialized partners, enabled the organization to meet strict regulatory requirements and achieve substantial cost savings.

The Challenge: seamless traceability and optimal storage conditions while keeping costs down

The client manages an industrial biobank spread across multiple sites that is dedicated to storing biological samples in a regulated environment. Each sample must be analyzed, tracked, and qualified within very short timeframes. After validation, the samples are stored for several years. The total inventory consists of millions of tubes.

Before the project, certain steps relied on semi-manual processes. While these processes were functional, they had several limitations, including fragmented traceability, limited throughput, and a risk of error. Therefore, the client required a solution that could ensure comprehensive tracking within a validated and compliant framework while significantly reducing operational costs.

Our approach: a custom-built architecture, co-developed with our partners

CyRISBio made a difference in three key areas.

1/ The quality of the technical proposal: this includes an architecture designed to meet on-site constraints, based on a deep understanding of the workflow and traceability requirements. It also significantly reduces operating costs.

2/ A modular design: this approach to custom automation allowed us to combine the best components on the market and adapt each element to the client’s specific needs.

3/ Exceptional speed of execution: the traceability and sample management tool was developed in six months. The first site was installed just one month after the contract was awarded.

The final architecture was based on three complementary components, orchestrated by software developed by CyRISBio:

- consumables and a storage system provided by our partner LVL-technologies

- a tube sealing system that enables cost savings of 30 to 40%

- a module dedicated to reading and identifying tubes, controlled by specialized software

The workflow, in practice: from sample collection to storage

To understand the value of the architecture, it is important to look at the entire workflow. Starting with the initial sample collection, pre- and post-analytical systems prepare several tubes. One tube is sent to the biobank, where it is divided into smaller storage tubes.

The LVL microtubes, with a 2D code readable from the bottom, are stored in 96-tube racks. A reader scans the rack and then matches its identifier, a specific 1D barcode, with the 2D codes on the microtubes, to ensure large-scale traceability. After aliquoting is complete, the entire rack is sealed and stored in cold storage rooms. 

Beyond preservation, the goal of a biobank is to leverage its collection. It is essential to manage intake and outflow workflows while ensuring sample traceability. The software component linked to barcode readers and scanners enables this functionality while minimizing errors and operational costs. The software can reconstruct the entire chain at any time: collection → tube → rack → location, as well as the reverse. This system replaced an initial Excel-based procedure and has never failed since its implementation.

Results: Operational and budgetary efficiency, and longevity

The benefits stem from a simple principle: every architectural choice contributes to both operational performance and budget control. The client has documented substantial return on investment. This return is based on three key factors.

For CyRISBio, however, the best proof of a solution's quality is its longevity.

“Nearly ten years later, the system is still in place.”

This project illustrates the qualities that distinguish the best partnerships: active listening to clients' needs and incorporating operational and budgetary constraints from the beginning to achieve substantial savings without compromising performance. This approach embodies CyRISBio’s philosophy of innovation, excellence, and responsiveness in service to our clients.

Your biobank deserves a tailor-made solution

Are you currently managing large volumes of samples using semi-manual processes? Are you finding that ensuring traceability is becoming difficult, or that regulatory requirements are placing an increasing burden on your teams? 

Don’t wait until you have all the answers.