Storage container for freezing, thawing, and shipping

A storage container for pharmaceutical or biological materials, comprising:

• a housing comprising a bottom surface, two side walls, a front wall, and a back wall that form an interior space in the housing, the interior space having a first section and a second section that is provided above the first section;
• a lid configured to enclose the interior space;
• a first foam portion provided in the interior space and configured to conform to a shape of a pharmaceutical or biological materials bag;
• and
• a second foam portion provided in the interior space adjacent to the first foam portion and configured to receive any tubing or connections attached to the pharmaceutical or biological materials bag,
• wherein the two side walls of the housing include a rim portion at a top portion of the two side walls and the lid includes a rail portion configured to provide a non-destructive and deformable locking and unlocking engagement with the rim portion of the two side walls,
• the back wall of the housing includes a first segment and a second segment provided above the first segment, the second segment being separated a distance longitudinally from the first segment and connected to the first segment by a secondary bottom surface such that the second section of the interior space has a greater volume than the first section of the interior space, and
• the front wall includes an indentation portion such that the indention portion protrudes into the interior space of the housing and into the second foam portion, and the indentation portion includes a handle portion configured for lifting, pushing, or pulling the storage container.

A method for storing a pharmaceutical or biological materials bag comprising:

• providing a first portion of a first foam portion in a first section of an interior space of a housing of a storage container, wherein the housing comprises a bottom surface, two side walls, a front wall, and a back wall that form the interior space in the housing;
• providing a first portion of a second foam portion in the first section of the interior space adjacent the first portion of the first foam portion;
• placing the pharmaceutical or biological materials bag over the first portion of the first foam portion and the first portion of the second foam portion such that the pharmaceutical or biological materials bag is provided on the first foam portion and tubing and connectors connected to the pharmaceutical or biological materials bag are provided on the second foam portion;
• providing a second portion of the first foam portion and a second portion of the second foam portion in a second section of the interior space such that the pharmaceutical or biological materials bag and the tubing and the connectors are between the first portion and the second portion of the first foam portion and the second foam portion, wherein the second section is provided above the first section;
• and
• non-destructively deforming a rail portion of the lid to provide a locking engagement of the lid to the housing to enclose the interior space of the housing by engaging the rail portion of the lid with a rim portion at the top portion of the two side walls,
• wherein the back wall of the housing includes a first segment and a second segment provided above the first segment, the second segment being separated a distance longitudinally from the first segment and connected to the first segment by a secondary bottom surface such that the second section of the interior space has a greater volume than the first section of the interior space.