Stop Compromising in Your Research: Why It’s Time to Break Up with Your Biobank

Biobanks have long been the industry standard for sourcing samples in clinical studies, mainly because similar biospecimen types are easy to get quickly. But biobanked samples come with real limitations that can hurt the quality and success of your study. Researchers often have to compromise on data quality just to get that ease of access.

It doesn’t have to be this way. You can get high-quality biospecimens, collected how and when you need them, along with patient-reported data customized to your study. Sanguine’s database of over 70,000 patients, combined with our in-house lab capabilities, makes us the ideal partner for your next clinical study.

Here are five reasons it’s time to ditch your biobank this year and partner with Sanguine instead to revolutionize your sample collection strategy.

1. Always frozen, never fresh

Most biobanks use a retrospective collection model, freezing samples over a period of years using various techniques depending on the sample type. Traditional biobanks simply don’t offer fresh samples, which can limit your research methods or skew your results.

Cryopreserved samples may be the only option for certain cancer tissues, which only become available during treatment or surgery. But in many other cases, fresh samples give better results. In metabolomics or lipidomics, for example, frozen samples introduce inconsistent sample-to-sample variation. Metabolite concentrations can shift due to ongoing enzymatic activity, temperature, oxygen exposure, or repeated freeze-thaw cycles – all of which can skew your results.(1) For these and other uses, it’s better to collect fresh samples on-demand from your population of interest.

At Sanguine, we collect all biospecimens on-demand and deliver them fresh or frozen based on your research needs. For example, we provide fresh or frozen research-use-only (RUO) leukopaks for a wide range of disease states, including systemic lupus erythematosus, atopic dermatitis, and multiple sclerosis. Our integrated laboratory processes samples exactly as instructed for your downstream applications. We can also collect additional sample types at the same time – such as saliva, urine, stool, and non-invasive skin tapes. This gives you richer per-patient data than biobanked samples typically allow. Our processing and analytical testing methods can be fully customized to your protocol, to deliver the highest quality samples for your research.

2. Variability in preparation and storage methods

Biobanks collect a wide variety of sample types, but preparation and storage methods vary a lot. That’s true even within the same biobank, since samples are often collected over many years by different technicians. Not knowing whether samples were frozen or processed properly, or whether temperatures fluctuated, can introduce hidden bias into your results. That variability can make it harder to interpret or reproduce your results, and can lead to costly delays or bad decisions for your research program.

Working with Sanguine means your samples are processed exactly the way you want, customized to your research needs. Our integrated laboratory services cover end-to-end biospecimen procurement and processing, delivering high-quality results with minimal variability in collection and testing. We give you full transparency into our methods and ensure reproducibility to preserve the integrity of your results.

3. Quality: you get what you get

Ensuring the quality of stored biospecimens can be difficult with biobanked samples. But it’s essential for many research applications – especially when characterizing less stable or rare biomarkers. Weak quality control in biospecimen collection, processing, and storage is the biggest reason researchers avoid biobanked samples.

At Sanguine, we’re committed to delivering the highest-quality samples for your research. After collection, we process samples in our dedicated laboratory facility, following standardized or customized protocols. We maintain the highest standards for cell viability, recovery, and purity to drive research success. Our processing and testing services include PBMC isolation, including B, T, and NK cell isolation. We also offer downstream testing such as HLA typing and many CLIA-certified diagnostic tests. For our RUO leukopak products, we provide certificate-of-analysis reports on cell viability and recovery, with up to 10 billion PBMCs per pack. Our laboratory has run more than 70 clinical tests spanning major diagnostic assessments. Working with us gives you end-to-end sample processing that minimizes variability and delivers the highest-quality results.

4. Limited patient-related data linked to samples

A key limitation of biobanks, especially for rare or heterogeneous diseases, is that it’s hard to retrospectively verify sample details from your selected patient population. This matters most in unique or rare patient populations, where those details can have a large effect on your results. Disease genotypes and phenotypes vary, and misdiagnoses are common in rare or heterogeneous diseases. As a result, biobanked samples can be out of date or missing key information needed to decide whether a subject’s samples belong in your study. Relying on biobanks can force you to compromise or modify your inclusion or exclusion criteria based on whatever sample information is available. You’re left simply trusting that the diagnostic and medical data is accurate and complete.

At Sanguine, we verify all medical records and have patients complete comprehensive questionnaires when they register in our database for future sample collection. We specialize in reaching even the hardest-to-find patient populations with rare and heterogeneous diseases across the United States. Our database gives you a strong starting point, with comprehensive family and natural history plus treatment history, to screen potential participants for your study. From there, we can add further lab testing, patient surveys, or questionnaires customized to your study’s needs. We often integrate patient-reported outcomes and wearable technology data, collected in real time alongside the biospecimens. We can also support various clinical testing methods, such as determining specific clinical genotypes and phenotypes. Once eligible participants are identified, we quickly mobilize our nationwide team to collect high-quality samples and data that move your study toward success.

5. No recallability on that biospecimen

Biobanks typically de-identify biospecimens completely, making it impossible to recollect a specific biospecimen or gather other sample types from the same person for a given study. You’re limited to whatever samples the biobank currently has available. If your findings lead you to new questions using those same samples, you may be out of luck. You’d be forced to start over with a whole new population pool, which can be especially difficult with rare patient populations.

At Sanguine, our patient-centered approach gives you access to more than 70,000 active, willing research participants. We specialize in longitudinal and event-based sample collection, letting you collect multiple samples over time based on any criteria. For example, we can quickly mobilize our team to collect samples from SLE patients during flare-up events, based on predetermined criteria. We can also easily recontact patients to ask them to reconsent for samples at a later date. We also offer a community-access model that lets you acquire samples across multiple studies over a longer period, accelerating your research timeline. At Sanguine, we’re committed to streamlining your clinical studies and maximizing your chances of success.

Partnering with Sanguine is the missing piece in your research plans. We collect a wide variety of blood-derived and non-blood-derived samples and tissues based on your study needs. We can also customize collection of other parameters, such as patient-reported outcomes or wearable technology data. These can be collected longitudinally or as event-based samples, with immediate deployment of our mobile team to the patient’s home. Our samples are collected fresh, can be delivered same-day, and are processed consistently to your exact specifications – delivering superior quality and trustworthy data.

Relying on a biobank often falls short when designing the ideal study to answer a unique research question. Compromising on these factors can be the difference between a failed and a successful study. This year, set your study up for the best chance of success by partnering with us for all your biospecimen collection needs.

References

1. Kirwan JA, Brennan L, Broadhurst D, Fiehn O, Cascante M, Dunn WB, et al. Preanalytical Processing and Biobanking Procedures of Biological Samples for Metabolomics Research: A White Paper, Community Perspective (for “Precision Medicine and Pharmacometabolomics Task Group”—The Metabolomics Society Initiative). Clinical Chemistry. 2018 Aug 1;64(8):1158–82.