USADA Adopts Ember LifeSciences Cold Chain Technology for Human Specimen Transport

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ember LifeSciences, an innovator in the pharmaceutical cold chain industry and creator of the award-winning Ember Cube, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) have announced a partnership to enhance the efficiency of the blood sample shipping processes for upcoming sporting events, including the highly anticipated 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Ember LifeSciences’ cold chain technology focuses on self-contained, self-monitoring shipping systems for items such as temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and lab specimens. The Ember Cube is the first product in the market that provides a fully integrated solution to common and costly challenges in cold chain shipping. Its patented innovative design addresses issues related to tracking and temperature-sensitive deliveries, ensuring secure transport and preserved efficacy of medicines and specimens.

With its ability to bring improved visibility and accountability into the cold chain, the Ember Cube was used by USADA at several prestigious sporting events last year, including the Boston and New York Marathons with Olympic and Paralympic athletes and the Ironman World Championship in Kona. The Professional Fighters League also became the first MMA promotion to use the new technology for a fight in November.

Through these events, hundreds of blood samples from elite athletes were safely transported in Ember Cubes to drug testing labs across the United States. Leveraging Ember’s cloud-based dashboard, USADA was able to monitor the real-time location, ambient temperature, and payload temperature of the Cubes during transit, ensuring that the blood samples maintained optimal temperatures and chain of custody was retained throughout the journey.

Beyond addressing shipment delays, the Ember Cube presented USADA with a cost-effective, integrated shipping solution given its reusability and advanced features including self-refrigeration capabilities to provide convenient storage of collected blood samples before and during transport. The Cube’s integrated temperature monitoring also eliminated the need for a standalone temperature logger, enhancing the overall efficiency, simplicity, and reliability of the process.

“Preserving the integrity of athletes’ blood samples is fundamental to ensuring a fair and level playing field,” stated John Bobo, Chief Operating and Innovation Officer of USADA. “With the Ember Cube, we’ve deployed the most comprehensive and sustainable solution for ensuring the integrity and reliability of vital shipments from in-competition collections.”

Building on the Ember Cube’s successful performance at previous events, Ember LifeSciences has been selected by USADA as a trusted partner to transport samples at several 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, including the recent marathon trials in Orlando, as well as the upcoming track and field trials in Eugene.

“We are honored to be chosen as a trusted partner by USADA and look forward to contributing to the integrity of sports through our strategic collaboration,” said Clay Alexander, Founder and CEO of Ember LifeSciences. “Our partnership with USADA represents a powerful step forward in our mission to disrupt the cold chain for the healthcare industry.”

About Ember LifeSciences

Ember LifeSciences initially launched as an offshoot of Ember Technologies, one of the fastest-growing companies in America known for its ground-breaking temperature control technology, global IP portfolio, and design-led brand. With the mission of improving the way people eat, drink, and live, Ember founder and serial inventor Clay Alexander set his sights on healthcare to revolutionize the cold chain to improve how we transport life-saving medicines and vaccines around the world. In 2022, the company developed the Ember Cube, the world’s first self-refrigerated cloud-based shipping box. For more information, visit emberlifesciences.com.

About USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency)

USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping programs for all Olympic, Paralympic, and Professional Fighters League (PFL) athletes. USADA is an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to stand with athletes to champion their right to clean sport, inspire true and healthy sport, and promote the integrity of sport.