Handling and storage in the lab

Research compounds should be handled with the same discipline as any laboratory reagent. Wear appropriate PPE, work on clean surfaces, and follow your institution's policies for handling, storage and disposal.

Storage conditions

Store the pen refrigerated between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, away from light. Return it to refrigeration promptly after use.

Do not freeze a pre-filled pen. This is the most common storage error carried over from lyophilised vials, where minus 20 degrees Celsius is normal for long-term storage. A dry cake tolerates freezing; a compound already in solution does not. Ice crystal formation disrupts the peptide, and expansion can crack the cartridge or breach its seal.

If a pen has been frozen, whether in a freezer or in transit, do not treat it as sound material.

Temperature cycling

Repeated warming and cooling degrades material faster than either steady state. Take the pen out, use it, put it back. Avoid leaving it on the bench through a working day, and avoid storing it in a refrigerator door, where the temperature swings every time the door opens.

Light

Keep pens in their carton when not in use. The carton is opaque for a reason.

Disposal

Dispose of used pens and any expired material through your institution's regulated waste stream, never through general waste. Needles and sharps follow your institution's sharps protocol.

> For laboratory and research use only. Not for human or animal consumption.