Antibody Stability at Ambient Shipping

Our friends at Cell Signaling Technology ship the majority of their antibodies to us at room temperature, eliminating the need for cold chain shipping. This practice is part of their goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2029—and the impact is significant.

Cold supply chains are resource-intensive, estimated to produce more than twice the greenhouse gas emissions of ambient shipping—not to mention the additional waste from materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) coolers, ice and gel packs, and multi-layered thermal packaging. These materials are not only challenging to recycle, they take up

valuable space in the lab—and in landfills.

CST has eliminated single-use Styrofoam from our supply-chain. All product packaging is either recyclable, compostable or returnable.

CST was the first antibody manufacturer to ship reagents at room temperature, a practice they had in place since 2006. With over two decades of experience, they can guarantee that antibodies shipped at room temperature maintain their long-term stability and will perform as expected in your experiments.

We have always relied on veterinarians to ship uncontaminated samples in appropriate packaging. Our early studies confirmed what CST knew that ambient shipping is appropriate. When we receive a contaminated sample, one that is hemolyzed or otherwise degraded the veterinarian is immediately contacted for repeat shipping. Here are some answers to some of the common questions about sustainable shipping practices and antibody stability.

What is ambient shipping?

Ambient shipping refers to transporting products at room temperature—typically within a controlled range of 15°C to 25°C, similar to standard indoor conditions. The temperature-controlled method is especially relevant for materials such as certain biological reagents, chemicals, or laboratory supplies.

In recent years, ambient shipping has become more common due to its cost efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and logistical simplicity. Unlike cold chain shipping, which requires refrigeration or freezing throughout transit, ambient shipping eliminates the need for additional packaging while preserving product integrity for validated items.

How do you determine the ideal shipping conditions for antibody stability?

Samples undergo a thermal stability tests to simulate real-world shipping scenarios. Samples are stored for one week and one month at three different temperatures: −20°C, room temperature, and 37°C. At the end of this period, the antibody is tested to assess the effect of temperature variation on performance. 

Our experiments showed that antibody samples remained active at room temperature for 10 days without loss of viability on ELISA testing. This is similar to recent studies conducted for IFAT testing at UC Davis, this saves the veterinarian many dollars in shipping costs and is environmentally friendly.

What about antibody stability when shipping during hot summer weather?

Exposure to higher temperatures during transit in the summer months is a valid concern—especially as global temperatures rise due to climate change. That’s why our stability testing included storage for one week at 37°C (98.6°F)—a temperature selected to mimic potential peak exposure. It is necessary to remove the red blood cells from the sample including clotted blood (red top tubes) or plasma (lavender top tubes) in the summer heat.

Does this mean I can store my samples at room temperature?

In most cases, long-term storage (over a month) at ambient temperature prior to shipping is discouraged because it could lead to antibody degradation. You should store samples at 4°C until they are shipped. It is better not to freeze and then ship, a freeze thaw cycle is not recommended.

Why not just ship everything cold?

Because doing so would undermine a key sustainability opportunity. Ambient shipping isn’t just safe—it’s a deliberate choice that reflects our commitment to both responsible science and responsible environmental practices.

If you are concerned you can ship on ice, FedEx overnight Monday thru Friday. We won't judge but hope you can understand why we encourage ambient shipping.

For further reading

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11665959/

Our samples are stored for 6 months. It was recently shown that samples stored at -80C are not stable over years, most likely six years is the maximum a sample would remain accurate. If you choose cold chain shipping your sample will still be discarded at 6 months.