Secop, a global leader in advanced cooling solutions for mobile battery-driven applications, commercial and medical cold chain refrigeration, and B Medical Systems, a global leader in vaccine cold chain solutions and a leading manufacturer of medical cold chain solutions, have announced a joint development agreement to develop solutions for a new generation of medical transport boxes to safely store and transport vaccines, biospecimens, and other temperature-sensitive specimens at ultra-low temperatures, even in locations with tropical ambient conditions.
The Covid-19 pandemic, the rise in the adoption of mRNA technology, the development of several extremely temperature-sensitive vaccines, the growing prominence of cell and gene therapy and more, have resulted in an ever-increasing demand for reliable ultra-low temperature medical cold chain solutions. In their cooperation, Secop and B Medical Systems aim to offer a reliable and effective active medical cold chain solution through an active transport unit designed with a cascade compressor system, specifically designed to reach ultra-low temperatures even in tropical ambient conditions. Under this agreement, Secop and B Medical Systems will conduct a series of development and testing exercises, applying Secop’s decades of experience in efficient mobile cooling compressors and B Medical Systems’ expertise in developing innovative and reliable solutions for medical transportation boxes.
“Secop’s engineering team has conducted intensive development and testing activities to prove and optimize an innovative cooling unit powered by a cascade of battery-driven compressors optimised for medical applications and able to achieve, maintain and guarantee with a proven reliable design ultra low temperatures down to -86°C, the temperature range required for new generation mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines, even at ambient temperature of 43°C. This development agreement with B Medical Systems is a significant step forward for Secop Group, both companies can bring together skill sets and technologies that will support the successful development of a truly breakthrough product that can support a sustainable cold chain evolution and contribute to improving storage and delivery of vaccines worldwide,” said Jan Ehlers, chief executive officer at Secop.
“The ability to reliably transport vaccines and temperature-sensitive specimens at ultra-low temperature is becoming ever more crucial. The joint development agreement is a significant step in our journey towards providing this next-generation of ultra-low medical cold chain equipment. By bringing together Secop’s legacy in compressor technology and B Medical Systems’ expertise in developing innovative medical cold chain solutions, I am confident that we will be able to soon provide the market with a convenient and reliable solution for the safe storage and transport of small volumes of vaccine, pharmaceuticals and samples at ultra-low temperatures”, said Luc Provost, CEO of B Medical Systems.
Engagement between Secop’s and B Medical Systems’ research and development teams on joint development activities under the agreement is now underway and both companies aim to conclude the development and testing phase in the near future to deliver this new ultra-low cold chain solution.