How Vitrafy Is Transforming Cryopreservation in Cell and Gene Therapy.
By Sofia Prado-Irwin, PhD
When Brent Owens co-founded Vitrafy Life Sciences in 2017, he was not coming from a traditional biotech background. His path had taken him from the kitchens of Master Chef Australia to filming documentaries across Africa. But it was that unconventional journey and a deep curiosity about global disparities in healthcare that sparked an idea that would lay the groundwork for Vitrafy today: If we can preserve a human egg for IVF, how can we effectively preserve other biological materials?
That question led to months of deep research into cryopreservation and what made it successful. What Brent and his co-founders discovered was a major gap between the ideal conditions for preserving biological materials and the tools available to achieve them. Addressing that gap became the foundation for Vitrafy.
The Problem: Inconsistency in Cryopreservation
…consistency and quality are everything, especially when there are significant challenges that must be conquered to transition therapies from the bench to patients.
In the fast-moving world of cell and gene therapy, consistency and quality are everything, especially when there are significant challenges that must be conquered to transition therapies from the bench to patients. Yet cryopreservation, an important aspect of cell and gene therapy, the process of freezing cells for storage and transport, remains a major source of variability.
Brent identified two of the biggest challenges: quality and consistency within the cryopreservation process. The freezing step, going from liquid to solid, was a key point of failure. And it was not just about that one step but rather, it was the entire workflow from collection to use. This is where Vitrafy have developed their main value proposition through a purpose-built system that encompasses both hardware and software: a next-generation freezing device called the VCU2, coupled with a powerful orchestration platform that optimizes the entire cryopreservation process.
The Solution: Intelligent, Flexible, and Fast
Vitrafy’s VCU2 is a mobile, high-throughput freezing device that does not rely on liquid nitrogen. It is able to to freeze samples in minutes and designed to be easily integrated into existing workflows as it is packaging and formulation agnostic. What makes this device stand out is its ability to cryopreserve slowly, rapidly, or at any other desired cryopreservation speed in between. It programmatically adjusts to the specific needs of each sample, accounting for packaging, formulation composition, and volume. Moreover, it can also be programmed to accept more sophisticated inputs provided by third party devices that can facilitate optimized cryopreservation in challenging scenarios, for instance with sensitive cell types or to account for donor to donor or patient-to-patient variability.
The more it is used, the smarter it becomes as it optimizes through the orchestration platform. Vitrafy’s intelligent software platform collects and analyzes data such as bag geometry, cryoprotectant type, and sample volume to generate the ideal freeze curve. Over time, it creates a feedback loop that improves performance with every use.
The Development Journey: From Idea to Impact
Startups are known for moving fast, but in the cell and gene therapy, the stakes are high and the regulatory landscape is complex. Vitrafy’s go-to-market strategy aims to reflect that balance.
Building Vitrafy’s technology came with its share of challenges. From engineering constraints to usability design, the team had to rethink how cryopreservation tools should function. They focused on building tools that empower specialists to create the best outcomes for their specific needs. Startups are known for moving fast, but in the cell and gene therapy, the stakes are high and the regulatory landscape is complex. Vitrafy’s go-to-market strategy aims to reflect that balance.
The company focuses on three verticals: animal reproduction, blood products such as platelets, and cell and gene therapy. Animal reproduction is a fast-moving market with fewer regulatory hurdles, enabling early revenue and product validation. Blood platelets represent a high-need area with significant waste, especially in defense applications. Thirdly, the cell and gene therapy vertical represents the long-term vision where Vitrafy aims to redefine industry standards around how cryopreservation is utilized in conjunction with developers and patients alike. This approach allows Vitrafy to set commercial expectations for sustainable growth while setting their sights on preparing and executing their vision for the complexity of regulated therapeutic markets.
Adoption Strategy: Listening First, Then Scaling
Getting new tools adopted in cell and gene therapy is notoriously slow. Through his experience running Vitrafy, Brent has adopted a “listen-first” approach, gathering insights before developing solutions that benefit the early-stage biotech companies, CDMOs, and raw material suppliers Vitrafy partners with. Each vertical has a technical and commercial strategy tailored to the unique needs and constraints of its market. In cell and gene therapy, the emphasis is on early-stage partners who embrace innovation and collaboration. Vitrafy is not trying to reinvent what already works. Instead, it is focused on understanding pain points and building tools that help shape a more efficient, scalable future for the industry and the patients it serves.
The Bigger Picture: Patients First
He envisions a future where “Protected by Vitrafy” becomes a recognized industry standard, applied across every therapeutic process a patient may undergo.
At the core of Vitrafy’s mission is a simple but powerful goal: improve the quality of healthcare treatments by providing effective cryopreservation solutions, preserving life being the ultimate outcome. Brent believes that if Vitrafy succeeds, it will not just improve freezing and thawing, but will redefine the entire cryopreservation workflow. That means better results for developers, clinicians, and most importantly, patients. He envisions a future where “Protected by Vitrafy” becomes a recognized industry standard, applied across every therapeutic process a patient may undergo.
Looking Ahead: A Smarter, Connected Ecosystem
Looking ten years ahead, Brent sees Vitrafy as more than a device or software platform. He sees it as the foundation of a fully integrated, intelligent cryopreservation ecosystem that supports the entire therapeutic journey.
This is not just about freezing but rather, an optimization that spans the continuum from collection to delivery, ensuring that each product, from starting material to finished goods, is handled with precision, consistency, and care. Vitrafy’s software has already been built to exceed regulatory standards such as 21 CFR Part 11, which includes robust data governance, intellectual property protection, and secure integration with other systems.
Brent believes that as therapies become more personalized and complex, the need for systems that can adapt and learn will become a critical point of emphasis for developers. Vitrafy is positioning itself to meet that need, not only by improving current processes but by enabling a future where cryopreservation is intelligent, connected, and continuously improving.
Final Thoughts
From Vitrafy’s early beginnings in a small lab to building a platform that can adapt, learn, and scale, the company has remained focused on its mission to improve the quality of healthcare by providing effective cryopreservation solutions, ultimately preserving life.
Throughout our interview, it was apparent very quickly that what makes Vitrafy stand out is their collective mindset steeped in innovation and improvement, and the nexus of the driving force is Brent and his leadership team. Brent’s vision is clear. The team is not trying to disrupt for the sake of disruption. They are listening, learning, and building tools that empower experts across the ecosystem, ultimately preparing for what is required within the future of advanced therapies.
Vitrafy aims to become a trusted standard across the entire therapeutic journey. Whether it is a blood product, an animal-based assay, or a complex biologic, the goal is to ensure that every step of cryopreservation is optimized, intelligent, and consistent. Brent’s hope is that one day, patients will ask a simple question before receiving treatment – was it protected by Vitrafy?
In closing, Vitrafy is not just building a product nor a software platform. They are building confidence in their brand and quality while working with partners on the therapies of tomorrow. As they continue to grow and their chance of success increases, their impact will be felt across research labs, manufacturing floors, clinical sites, and most importantly, in the lives of patients around the world.