When qualifying high-stakes biological samples, a traceability error can have dramatic consequences. It is against this backdrop of high standards that a healthcare industry player entrusted CyRISBio with the automation of its biobank and sample management.
Nearly ten years later, the system processes several million tubes across a multi-site network without a single documented failure. This case study illustrates how an architecture co-developed with specialized partners made it possible to meet strict regulatory requirements while achieving substantial savings.
The challenge: flawless traceability and optimal storage conditions, while keeping costs down
The client manages an industrial biobank spread across several sites, dedicated to storing biological samples in a regulated environment. Each specimen must be analyzed, tracked, and qualified within very tight deadlines. Once validated, the samples are stored for several years. In total, the inventory to be managed amounts to millions of tubes.
Before the project, some steps relied on semi-manual processes. These processes were functional but had several limitations: fragmented traceability, limited throughput, and the risk of error. The client therefore required a solution capable of guaranteeing complete tracking within a framework subject to validation and compliance requirements, while significantly reducing operational costs.
Our approach: a custom architecture, co-developed with our partners
CyRISBio made the difference on three points.
1/ The quality of the technical proposal : an architecture designed to meet real-world constraints, based on a deep understanding of the workflow and traceability requirements, which helps to significantly reduce operating costs.
2/ A modular design : this approach of bespoke automation made it possible 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 provides 30 to 40% in savings
- a module dedicated to reading and identifying tubes, controlled by specialized software
The workflow, in practice: from collection to storage
To truly understand the value of this architecture, you have to look at the workflow as a whole. Starting from the initial collection, several tubes are prepared by pre- and post-analytical systems. One of these is destined for the biobank, where it is aliquoted into storage microtubes.
LVL microtubes, equipped with a 2D code readable from the bottom, are arranged in 96-microtube racks. The reader scans the rack and then maps the rack identifier, a specific 1D barcode, and the 2D codes of the microtubes, ensuring large-scale traceability. Once aliquoting is complete, the entire rack is sealed before being stored in cold rooms.
Beyond simple preservation, the goal of a biobank is increasingly to add value to its collection. It is essential to be able to manage entry/exit workflows while guaranteeing sample traceability. The software component linked to the barcode readers/scanners provides this function while minimizing error risks and operational costs. The software reconstructs 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 profitability, and longevity
The benefits stem from a simple principle: every architectural choice serves both operational performance and budget control. The return on investment, documented by the client, has proven to be substantial. It relies on three levers.
By fully automating critical steps while keeping other solutions leaner, the client achieved a lower acquisition cost than integrated market solutions, without compromising on throughput or traceability.
The end-to-end managed workflow replaced semi-manual steps: less technician time per tube processed, less repetitive strain, and a significant cumulative effect across a multi-site fleet of several million tubes.
Traceability is continuously guaranteed by the software. Regulatory risk is structurally contained, and the collection remains fully usable over time.
For CyRISBio, however, the best proof of a solution's quality remains its longevity.
"Nearly ten years later, the system is still in place"
This project also illustrates what sets the best partnerships apart: active listening to the client's needs, incorporating operational and budgetary constraints from the outset to generate significant savings without compromising performance. This approach sums up the CyRISBio philosophy: innovation, excellence, and responsiveness in service to our clients.
Your biobank deserves a custom solution
Are you currently managing large volumes of samples using semi-manual processes, finding that traceability is becoming difficult to ensure, or that regulatory requirements are putting increasing pressure on your teams?
Don't wait until you have all the answers.
Request a workflow audit