Compound Shipping to BioSeek
Shipping Address:
BioSeek, a division of DiscoveRx
Attn: Dat Nguyen
310 Utah Avenue, Suite 100
South San Francisco, CA 94080 USA
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-650-416-7664
Fax: 1-650-417-7625
Please send FedEx tracking information by e-mail or FAX to:
E-mail: [email protected]
FAX: 1-650-416-7625
Packaging Directions:
Small molecule compounds in solution should be shipped frozen on dry ice. Please include enough dry ice to last 5 days
in case the shipment is delayed. Biologics (e.g. antibodies) should be shipped on wet ice. All samples should be clearly
labeled with a compound identifier for tracking purposes.
Documentation Required on All Compound Shipments:

Electronic documentation: BioSeek Compound Shipping Table_NA_ROW.xlsx must be filled out and sent to
[email protected] (Attn: Dat Nguyen).

Include a hard copy of the completed Compound Shipping Table in the package.
Instructions for Preparing Samples for Shipment:
NOTE: Please identify your compounds as small-molecules, biologics, peptides, recombinant proteins, lipids or natural
products, etc.
Small molecules:
 Small molecule organic compounds must be prepared in 96-well polypropylene plates as 1000x stock solutions
in DMSO. Deep-well plates are acceptable. (For 1 to 2 compounds, you may ship compounds in vials.)
 BioSeek will prepare appropriate dilutions from the stock solution provided for 3-fold stepwise dose response
analysis of the sample.
Biologics:
 Biologics must be prepared in PBS at 1000x top concentration (preferable). If 1000x is not possible, then a
minimum stock concentration of 100x for the top test concentration is acceptable. Ship on wet ice.
 Only human or humanized antibodies (and goat polyclonal antibodies) are suitable for BioMAP profiling (mouse
and rat monoclonal antibodies are not compatible with our assay formats).
 BioMAP assays can be highly sensitive to the presence of endotoxins. Endotoxin must be less than 0.1 EU/ml at
the top test dose.
 BioSeek will prepare appropriate dilutions from the stock solution provided for stepwise 3-fold dose response
analysis of the sample.
310 Utah Avenue, Suite 100, South San Francisco, CA 94080 ∙ t: 650.416.7600, f: 650.416.7625
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
Materials that are modified (e.g. with biotin, etc.) or have buffer contaminants (from column purifications) that
have the potential to interfere with our assay technologies must be identified. Where appropriate, buffer
should be submitted as a separate sample.
Compound Amounts Required:
For standard profiling 150 microliters of 1000x stock in DMSO, or 1.3 ml of 100x stock in PBS (for Biologics) is required.
310 Utah Avenue, Suite 100, South San Francisco, CA 94080 ∙ t: 650.416.7600, f: 650.416.7625
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Customs and Paperwork for International Shipments
We recommend shipment of samples from outside the United States to be made via Federal Express
(www.fedex.com) to ensure rapid movement through U.S. Customs because FedEx acts as its own customs broker.
Please be aware of the following:
1.
2.
3.
The shipping agent will need to make sure that the package is refilled with dry ice if necessary while the
shipment clears Customs.
The shipping agent should have the contact information for BioSeek (see page 1), so they can call us with
questions or for shipment pick up.
A TSCA form (obtained from the shipping agent) will be required.
For small molecules, you will need to fill out and certify a TSCA form that the shipping agent will provide. We have had
good luck with Customs using the following type of verbiage on the commercial invoice:
This package contains small quantities (< 5 mg each) of [insert number] new small molecule chemical
substances that will be used solely for in vitro laboratory research assays at BioSeek under the supervision of
Mark Polokoff, Ph.D., Director of Assay Operations. The contents of this package have no commercial value,
and are not for sale or resale. Value is declared for Customs purposes only. The samples are not regulated
substances and are non-hazardous and non-infectious. They are not for human consumption. These [insert
number] compounds are therefore subject to the research and development exemption of the TSCA and are
positively certified in the attached TSCA Certification.
For antibodies, the information below describes what should be included with the shipment (on the outside of the box
so Customs can access it). Importantly, antibodies do not require a USDA permit (for the reasons below) so you need to
make sure you include a letter on the outside of the box with the commercial invoice that states the information
requested (Points 1-4, below).
Materials derived from all animals are potentially subject to US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) regulations and must be cleared by USDA inspectors at the
port of arrival before entry into the US is authorized. A USDA, APHIS, VS permit is required for material derived from
animals that may pose a risk of introducing livestock or avian diseases exotic to the United States. However, monoclonal
antibodies that are: (1) not directed against livestock or avian disease agents exotic to the US, and (2) for IN VITRO use
may be imported without a USDA import permit. Importation of monoclonal antibodies for other purposes may require
a USDA or VS import permit.
A USDA or VS import permit will NOT be required for monoclonal antibodies if the shipment can meet the following
conditions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The material is a monoclonal antibody, cell culture supernatant or ascites fluid
The identity of the immunogen (what the monoclonal antibody is directed against)
The material is for IN VITRO use only
The material does not come from a facility where work with exotic viruses affecting livestock and
avian species is conducted
The information above must be supplied as ORIGINAL statements in a letter from the shipper and made available for
review by USDA Inspectors at the Port of Arrival. Do not put the documents INSIDE the shipping container.
If the above information is not supplied, the shipment will be subject to delays. If the material does meet these four
criteria, then a USDA import permit may be required.
310 Utah Avenue, Suite 100, South San Francisco, CA 94080 ∙ t: 650.416.7600, f: 650.416.7625
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