Our Long-Term Storage

TMRW is a fertility technology company modernizing the management and storage of frozen eggs and embryos. TMRW created the world’s first automated platform for the safe storage and management of frozen eggs and embryos, delivering peace of mind to clinics, doctors, embryologists and patients with cutting-edge technology that helps reduce the risk of specimen mix-up and loss.

A biorepository is a facility that catalogs, stores and maintains biological specimens – in this case, your eggs and embryos. The purpose of a biorepository is to store and cryogenically maintain (at extremely low temperatures) these specimens, often on a long-term basis.

Through our network, Pinnacle Fertility, we’ve forged a partnership with TMRW Life Sciences to utilize their long-term cryopreservation platform. To meet the growing needs of our patients and continue to store your specimen safely and securely, we are upgrading our long-term storage systems with the latest technology available from TMRW.

TMRW’s automated storage systems set a new standard of care for the secure identification, tracking, monitoring, and safekeeping of specimens. TMRW utilizes digital monitoring with thousands of system checks every day coupled with a trained team overseeing the data to identify potential issues before they arise.

TMRW created the world’s first integrated and automated platform for the safe storage and management of frozen eggs, embryos, and sperm. TMRW’s platform provides:

• Specimen Safety & Accuracy - TMRW reduces potential points of failure by 94% compared with manual storage systems - helping to reduce the risk of specimen error, damage, mix-up, and loss.
• Digital Identification & Tracking - Unique labels with RFID tags that track the location and history of your frozen eggs and embryos.
• 24/7 Redundant Monitoring - Digital monitoring with thousands of system checks every day coupled with a trained team overseeing the data to identify potential issues before they arise.
• Seamless Clinic Coordination - Our care team is there every step of the way to help facilitate on-demand shipping to and from your fertility clinic.

The TMRW Biorepository is only staffed by embryology and fertility experts. The TMRW team has a combined 180+ years of embryology, andrology and/or lab experience and you can feel confident knowing that your specimens are being handled by an experienced team of embryologists with extensive training in handling cryopreserved fertility specimens.

Yes, the process of shipping frozen specimens is commonplace in the fertility industry, and safe. Your specimens will remain frozen throughout the entire transfer process. Additionally, TMRW requires the use of active, continuous temperature and GPS telemetry to ensure a seamless temperature trace during shipment. All specimen handling at the TMRW Biorepository is carried out by experienced embryologists who adhere to the highest industry standards with strict quality control policies.

The TMRW Biorepository is located 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.

We will work closely with TMRW to prepare and transfer your cryopreserved eggs, embryos, and/or sperm. In our lab, your eggs and embryos, with their original labels, will be placed into a new TMRW container (called a CryoBeacon) with digital identification (RFID) assigned only to you. These containers will be packaged into liquid nitrogen-cooled transport tanks and transferred to TMRW’s long-term cryostorage facility in Boulder, Colorado. Upon arrival, the CryoBeacons will have their RFID tags scanned and then will be placed into the TMRW storage system. For your sperm, each vial with their original labels will be placed into a cryobox and then packaged into the same type of liquid nitrogen-cooled transport tanks and then transferred to TMRW’s cryostorage facility in Colorado. Upon arrival, the cryoboxes are stored directly into the TMRW storage tanks designated for sperm storage.

Advanced Fertility Care covers the transportation costs for your specimens to and from TMRW’s long-term cryostorage facility.

No, your current storage fee includes the cost of storage in our designated long-term storage facility.

No, all specimens are transferred in cryogenic tanks specifically designed to keep them frozen in transit.  TMRW uses temperature monitoring to ensure that samples remain at safe cryogenic temperatures throughout the transfer process. 

No, the original label placed on your specimens will remain.

Once your specimen(s) are received by the TMRW team, they are checked into the TMRW system for storage.

This activity is digitally recorded and attached to each specimen’s record - ensuring visibility, traceability, and accountability for your specimens.

Your specimens will be stored in tanks with other patients but kept in separate CryoBeacon(s) (cryogenic containers) within the tank.

Yes, we maintain an active inventory of all cryopreserved specimens stored at TMRW’s offsite cryostorage facility. The storage location will also be reflected on any other inventory system of record maintained by our laboratory staff.

Only authorized TMRW personnel are allowed inside the secured facilities to maintain specimen safety. 

The clinic will electronically request that the specimens be transported back to our lab in time for your procedure. We will coordinate everything with TMRW on your behalf. There is no charge for shipping your specimens back to our lab.

If you are planning on restarting treatment within 3 months from receiving notice of the transition, please notify your Navigator. We have an efficient process for retrieving samples from the BioR and will ensure to have them available for your treatment.

AFC will work with TMRW to ensure the safe return of your samples to our lab. Once we receive them, we will reach out to you directly to assist with any necessary transportation arrangements. Please note that while there is no charge for the return of samples to our lab, fees will apply for shipments from our lab to other facilities.

All patients who have had specimens in storage for more than one year or who are not in an active cycle at our clinic will have their specimens safely stored at our long-term cryostorage provider. Patients who choose to have us maintain storage of their specimens at our onsite laboratory will have an increased cost for on-site long-term storage. The new cost for on-site storage with AFC is $1140 per year. This will be reflected on your next renewal date and transitioned to auto-billing.

If patients don't wish to have their specimens moved or wish to move them elsewhere, they may ship them to another facility upon request.

Patients can reach out to our Long-Term Storage Transition Team via their secure patient portal or by emailing storage@azfertility.com.

If patients wish to opt-out of sending their specimen(s) to the BioR, they need to submit notice no later than 30 days after receiving the initial notice.

Find more information about our partner, TMRW Life Sciences (TMRW)  in these resources:

• TMRW for Patients