Storage/containement unit for flexible pouch filled with biopharmaceutical fluid, and method of assembling a freeze/thaw containment system, using a protecting body of controlled deformation

A storage unit for use in freezing, storing and thawing biopharmaceutical materials contained in a flexible pouch, the storage unit comprising:

• a protecting body for protecting the flexible pouch, which comprises two plates, the protecting body further comprising a longitudinal axis and two margin portions at two longitudinal sides of the protecting body;
• a holding and retaining device, the holding and retaining device including positioning members that are engaged in the two opposite margin portions;
• wherein the two plates comprise each:
• a covering portion for covering the flexible pouch, the covering portion separating the two opposite margin portions;
• wherein the two plates are able to sandwich the flexible pouch for constraining the flexible pouch, the protecting body extending planar in an empty state of the flexible pouch, along a protecting body plane;
• wherein the protecting body is displaceable in an interspace delimited by two separate protecting parts of the holding and retaining device, to allow the two plates moving, extending, and shrinking in a transverse direction belonging to the protecting body plane,
• and wherein all or part of the positioning members is forming stoppers for locally stopping inward movement of the two margins portions, which is due to filling of the flexible pouch sandwiched between the two plates of the protecting body, in order to have lower clearance range for shrink strokes of the protecting body in a middle part thereof, as compared to a higher clearance range at respective longitudinal end parts of the two opposite margin portions.