Comprehensive Cell Solutions, in collaboration with FreMon Scientific, conducted a comparative evaluation of the ZipThaw dry thawing system against conventional water bath thawing for cryopreserved apheresis products. CCS is a business unit of the New York Blood Center Enterprises.
Designed for blood banking, cell and gene therapy, bioproduction, and clinical laboratory environments, ZipThaw offers precise temperature control, dry operation, portability, and dual-chamber functionality for
simultaneous thawing.
The study assessed usability, thaw performance, post-thaw viability, cell recovery, and immune cell preservation using samples from healthy donors processed under standard cryopreservation protocols.
Results demonstrated that ZipThaw achieved thaw times comparable to traditional water baths while providing improved operational workflow through water-free processing and temperature monitoring.
Cellular outcomes were equivalent or slightly improved with ZipThaw. Post-thaw viability was approximately 2% higher immediately after thawing, and overall post-thaw wash recovery showed a 2.2% improvement compared to water bath thawing. T-cell, B-cell, and NK-cell populations remained comparable across methods, while monocyte recovery was slightly higher with ZipThaw, suggesting potential benefits for preserving stress-sensitive cell populations.
In addition to performance equivalence, ZipThaw reduced contamination risks associated with water baths and simplified laboratory operations by eliminating water handling and maintenance requirements.
These findings support ZipThaw as a viable and operationally advantageous alternative to conventional water bath thawing for cryopreserved apheresis products, with minimal comparability and regulatory transition risk.