Systems and methods for freezing, storing and thawing biopharmaceutical materials

A system for use in freezing, storing and thawing biopharmaceutical materials, said system comprising:

• a holder having a cradle bounding a cavity;
• said holder comprising a first portion and a second portion forming said cradle;
• a support member protruding from an outer surface of said cradle, said member structurally supporting said cradle and inhibiting deformation of said cradle in response to an expansion of biopharmaceutical material held in said container in said cavity due to freezing;
• and
• said support member having opposite ends thereof directly connected to a first rim portion of an outer rim and a second rim portion of said outer rim, said outer rim connected to said cradle and extending around a perimeter of said cradle, said first rim portion and said second rim portion located on opposite sides of said holder relative to each other along said perimeter.

A system for use in freezing, storing and thawing biopharmaceutical materials, said system comprising:

• a first portion and a second portion having a cavity therebetween for receiving a container for containing biopharmaceutical materials;
• said first portion comprising a first bottom bounding said cavity and said second portion comprising a second bottom bounding said cavity, said first bottom and said second bottom opposite said cavity relative to each other and moveable apart from each other in response to the biopharmaceutical materials within the container and said cavity freezing and expanding;
• said first portion comprising an inner rim extending completely around a perimeter of said container when received in the cavity, said inner rim comprising longitudinal sides, ends, and curved corners surrounding said perimeter, each of said corners connecting a longitudinal side of said longitudinal sides to an end of said ends, the container contacting said bottom, edges, and at least one corner of said corners when received in the cavity;
• said edges extending from said bottom and extending entirely around said perimeter of said cavity, said edges comprising concave surfaces bounding the cavity.

A method for use in freezing, storing or thawing biopharmaceutical materials, the method comprising:

• providing a holder having a cavity, the holder comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising a first bottom bounding the cavity and the second portion comprising a second bottom bounding the cavity, the first bottom and the second bottom opposite the cavity relative to each other;
• receiving a container holding biopharmaceutical materials in the cavity of the holder and between the first portion and the second portion to connect the container to the holder;
• and
• the first portion comprising an inner rim extending completely around a perimeter of the container, the inner rim comprising longitudinal sides, ends, and curved corners surrounding said perimeter, each of said corners connecting a longitudinal side of the longitudinal sides to an end of the ends, the container contacting the bottom, edges, and at least one corner of the corners;
• the edges extending from the bottom and extending entirely around the perimeter of the cavity, the edges comprising concave surfaces bounding the cavity;
• moving the first bottom and the second bottom apart from each other in response to freezing and expanding the biopharmaceutical materials within the container and the cavity.

A system for use in freezing, storing and thawing biopharmaceutical materials, said system comprising:

• a first portion and a second portion bounding a cavity for receiving a container containing biopharmaceutical materials said first portion having a first bottom and first edges extending from said first bottom and forming a first inner rim, said first bottom and said first edges bounding said cavity, said inner rim extending completely around a perimeter of said container when received in said cavity, said first inner rim comprising longitudinal sides, ends, and curved corners surrounding said perimeter, each of said corners connecting a longitudinal side of said longitudinal sides to an end of said ends, said container contacting said first bottom, said first edges, and at least one corner of said corners when received in said cavity;
• said second portion comprising a second bottom bounding said cavity opposite said first bottom and second edges extending from said second bottom and bounding said cavity;
• the first edges and the second edges comprising concave surfaces bounding the cavity;
• an outer rim connected to said cradle and separated from said cavity;
• and
• wherein said first bottom comprises an inner surface facing said cavity receiving said container and an outer surface, said outer surface of said first bottom being recessed towards said container relative to an outermost surface of said outer rim.