Powered by TMRW Life Sciences
Our Long-Term Storage
Together, IHR and TMRW are raising the standard of care.
Our collaboration with Pinnacle Fertility and TMRW Life Sciences provides our patients with unparalleled access to top-tier care in frozen egg and embryo storage. We utilize a cutting-edge cryobank facility, managed by TMRW and located in Boulder, Colorado, to ensure the most advanced and secure storage and management of reproductive tissues.
Our strategic partnership reflects our dedication to providing patients with the forefront of advancements in reproductive medicine. TMRW's technology revolutionizes the management and storage of frozen eggs and embryos, shifting from traditional manual methods to an automated system. This innovation significantly minimizes risks such as mix-ups, errors, and loss. With TMRW's automated platform, we have successfully reduced potential points of failure by 94% compared to conventional manual storage systems, enhancing safety and reliability in reproductive tissue management.
Safeguarding Life's Most Precious Cells
TMRW Life Sciences is a fertility technology company automating the IVF lab starting with the world's first and only automated platforms for the safe management and storage of frozen eggs and embryos. For the first time, frozen specimens can be digitally identified and tracked, safely managed with automated robotics, and remotely monitored around the clock. TMRW's next-generation technology platforms set a new standard of care, reducing potential points of failure by 94% compared to manual systems. TMRW delivers peace of mind by helping reduce the risk of specimen mix-up, damage, or loss.
IHR Powered By TMRW Fast Facts
What Is IHR & Pinnacle's Long-Term Storage Powered By TMRW?
Institute For Human Reproduction (IHR), part of Pinnacle Fertility, is joining forces with TMRW Life Sciences (TMRW) to offer our patients cutting-edge technology in frozen egg and embryo storage. This service is available at a premier cryobank facility located in Boulder, Colorado, ensuring the highest standard of care in reproductive technology.
Why Is IHR Utilizing TMRW For Long-Term Storage?
In response to our patients' evolving needs, we are enhancing our storage capabilities with the most advanced technology on the market - the world's sole automated platform designed for the secure management and storage of frozen specimens. This next-generation technology offers unparalleled peace of mind, significantly lowering the risks associated with specimen errors, mix-ups, and loss.
When Will This Transition Occur?
All frozen specimens in long-term storage will be moved to the offsite cryobank in Boulder, Colorado after March 6, 2024.
As A Patient, Is there Any Action I need to take Regarding This Transition?
Moving your specimens requires no action from patients, and annual storage fees will not change. At the next renewal date for storage fees, both on-site and off-site storage will be billed via auto payment. At that time, you will receive a credit card authorization form via your portal to be completed.
If you are planning to start treatment within the next 4 months and will require access to your stored specimens during this period, we strongly recommend that you opt out of the transfer to ensure uninterrupted availability of your cells.
Explore IHR’s fertility treatment offerings to better understand what your options are
IHR Long Term Storage FAQ
TMRW Life Sciences (TMRW) stands at the forefront of fertility technology, specializing in the protection of frozen eggs, embryos, and sperm (specimens). They have pioneered the world's first and only automated system dedicated to the secure handling and storage of these specimens. TMRW's advanced technology offers reassurance by significantly minimizing the risks of specimen errors, mix-ups, and losses.
Preservation of "frozen" specimens is achieved through cryopreservation, a process involving storage at extremely low temperatures.
In collaboration with our network, Pinnacle Fertility, we have established a partnership with TMRW Life Sciences to adopt their advanced long-term cryopreservation platform. In our ongoing commitment to meet our patients' expanding needs and ensure the safe and secure storage of your specimens, we are enhancing our long-term storage facilities with the state-of-the-art technology provided by TMRW.
TMRW Life Sciences is fully and legally responsible for your frozen embryos/oocytes/sperm while in transit from and to the IVF Lab, and while in storage with them. They have ongoing commitment to meet our patients' expanding needs and to ensure the safe and secure storage of your specimens.
TMRW's state-of-the-art automated storage systems establish a new benchmark in care, offering secure identification, precise tracking, vigilant monitoring, and the safe handling of specimens.
TMRW has developed the world's inaugural and exclusive integrated, automated solution for the secure storage and management of frozen eggs, embryos, and sperm. Features of TMRW's platform include:
- Digital identification employing barcodes and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.
- Advanced digital logs and tracking systems, ensuring triple redundancy and a robust chain of custody maintained within the platform.
- Automated storage tanks consistently monitored and refilled with liquid nitrogen.
- Continuous 24/7 surveillance utilizing real-time data analytics, with systems in place to alert the TMRW support team about any variations.
The facility is operated by TMRW's cryostorage specialists and embryologists who possess comprehensive training in the management of frozen specimens.
Absolutely, the transportation of frozen specimens between our clinical site and storage facilities is a common procedure in the fertility sector. Every aspect of handling and transport is conducted by skilled professionals who comply with the utmost industry standards.
The storage facility is located in in Boulder, Colorado.
Signed into law on April 4th, 2022, The Reproductive Health Equity Act (HB22-1279) states
"Every individual has a fundamental right to use or refuse contraception; every pregnant individual has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion; and a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of the state.
In Colorado, any and all decisions about your reproductive care, including what happens to your eggs and/or embryos, remain yours to make.
Institute for Human Reproduction will collaborate closely with TMRW for the meticulous preparation and transfer of your cryopreserved eggs, embryos, and/or sperm. At IHR, we ensure that your specimens, retaining their original labels, are securely placed into a specially designed TMRW container known as a CryoBeacon, each assigned a unique digital identification (RFID) exclusive to you. These CryoBeacons are then carefully packed into liquid nitrogen-cooled transport tanks for their journey to the advanced long-term cryostorage facility operated by TMRW in Boulder, Colorado. Upon reaching their destination, each CryoBeacon will undergo RFID tag scanning before being integrated into the TMRW storage system.
IHR covers the expenses associated with transporting your specimens to and from the long-term storage facility.
No, the existing storage fee you are paying already covers the cost of storage at our designated long-term storage facility.
No, during transfer, all specimens are securely transported in specially designed cryogenic tanks that maintain their frozen state. TMRW employs rigorous temperature monitoring techniques to guarantee that the samples consistently remain at the requisite cryogenic temperatures for their entire journey.
The original labels on your specimens will be retained. An embryologist from IHR will oversee the process of assigning each specimen to your exclusive TMRW container, known as a CryoBeacon. Every CryoBeacon is equipped with a unique digital ID that is specific to you, ensuring continuous tracking of your specimens at all times.
Upon receipt of your CryoBeacon containing your specimen(s) and unique digital ID, our team will scan and log it into the TMRW system for storage. This process is digitally documented and linked to each specimen's record, providing clear visibility, traceability, and accountability for your specimens. IHR will have access to view all patient specimens through an electronic medical record system, ensuring seamless monitoring and management.
Your specimens are securely placed in a CryoBeacon that is exclusively assigned to you, ensuring that no other patient's specimens are mixed with yours in the container(s). These individual containers are then housed in a larger storage tank, which is standard industry practice, alongside multiple CryoBeacons containing specimens from other patients.
The electronic medical record system at IHR and TMRW’s software will both accurately display the current location of all cryopreserved specimens stored at the offsite cryobank. Additionally, this storage information will be updated in any other inventory systems used by our laboratory staff.
Access to the secure facilities is exclusively permitted to authorized TMRW personnel, ensuring the utmost safety of the specimens.
IHR will initiate an electronic request to have the specimens transported back in time for your scheduled procedure. The TMRW team will manage all coordination with your clinic on your behalf. Importantly, there will be no charge for the return shipping of your specimens.
If you are planning to begin treatment within the next 4 months and will need to use your stored specimens, we advise you to opt out of the transfer to our new off-site storage facility. Opting out ensures that your specimens remain onsite and are readily accessible to you, preventing any potential delays in your treatment. Please make your selection in your patient portal or contact us directly by March 6, 2024, to opt out and keep your specimens at our current facility.
IHR will collaborate with TMRW to assemble all required documentation for the clinic set to receive your specimens. Additionally, we will coordinate with your chosen transport company to ensure a smooth and efficient transfer process.
Patients with specimens that have been in storage for over a year, or those who are not currently in an active treatment cycle at our clinic, will have their specimens securely maintained at our designated long-term cryostorage provider. For patients opting to keep their specimens stored in our on-site laboratory, there will be an increased charge for this premium on-site long-term storage service. The revised cost for on-site storage at IHR is now set at $1800 annually. This change will take effect from your next renewal date and will be managed through automatic billing.
Should patients prefer not to transfer their specimens, or if they wish to relocate them to a different facility, we can facilitate shipping to the facility of their choice upon request.
In the clinic, your specimens, retaining their original labels, will be securely placed into fresh TMRW containers, each equipped with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. These containers will then be carefully moved to the long-term cryostorage facility using vapor-cooled tanks, with tracking at every stage of the journey. Once they arrive at the cryostorage location, they will be integrated into TMRW’s automated storage system. The location and status of your specimen inventory will be updated and reflected in your electronic medical record for your reference.
Patients can reach out to our Long-Term Storage Transition Team via [email protected] or (312) 288-6420 ext. 80086 or press 4.
If patients wish to opt-out of this transition, they need to submit this quick and easy request via their Patient Portal by Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
Find more information about our partner, TMRW Life Sciences (TMRW) in these resources: