Storing and handling lyophilised research peptides

A lyophilised peptide is stable for years if it is kept cold, dry and dark, and it is fragile once it is in solution. These are the conditions on our own specification, not general advice.

Unopened vials

Minus 20 degrees Celsius, protected from light and moisture. Shelf life is 24 months from manufacture, and every certificate carries a retest date. A short period at ambient temperature in transit is tolerated, which is why boxes ship without ice.

Solutions

Our lipotropic and carnitine lines are supplied as aqueous solutions and are stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, never frozen. Reconstituted lyophilised peptides are held at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius and used to your own protocol. Do not shake a vial to dissolve it; swirl it.

Retest, not expiry

A retest date is the date to which the batch is warranted against its specification. Past it, the batch is not automatically unusable: it is due to be re-analysed. We re-analyse batches against specification, record the result on the certificate, and cap the number of cycles, because a batch cannot be retested for ever.

What to check on arrival

That the carton and seals are intact, that the batch number on each vial matches the packing list, and that lyophilised cakes look like cakes rather than collapsed powder. Report anything wrong within five business days, with photographs.