California Cryobank
Description
Founded in 1977, California Cryobank (CCB) is a full-service sperm bank offering frozen donor sperm, private semen cryopreservation, and specialized reproductive services. With more than 40 years of experience, CCB serves families across all 50 states and in over 30 countries worldwide. CCB maintain formal partnerships or distributor arrangements in several countries, including Singapore (licensed clinics import compliant donors), UK (dedicated donor selection flagged by a Union Jack filter), Canada (through Cryobank Canada distributor), Australia (via Monash IVF Group), Brazil (with LAB Medicina Masculina), Israel, Russia, and others. The customer service team at CCB includes staff speaking over 15 different languages, helping ensure broad accessibility and support for diverse clients. CCB offers an “At-Home Insemination” service, allowing customers to have donor vials shipped directly to their homes together with clear thawing and handling instructions, making the process more accessible and private. This option is available only in countries and regions where home insemination is legally permitted i.e. primarily to US based customers. CCB’s mission and vision is to be the world leader in reproductive and stem cell services by helping to grow and protect healthy families, while providing the highest quality reproductive and stem cell products and services guided by strong customer focus, scientific excellence, and innovative leadership.
Donor types and services
California Cryobank offers both Non-ID Release and ID-Release donors. Donor profiles include both basic and extended information, such as physical characteristics, nationality, religious background, childhood photos, interests, and talents. Some donors have adult photos. CCB maintains one of the largest and most diverse donor pools in the industry, recruiting extensively from leading universities including UCLA, USC, Stanford, Harvard, and MIT. Donors are extensively screened having extended information such as physical characteristics, nationality and religious backgrounds, photos and interests/talents. CCB provides specialized vials tailored to various reproductive procedures, including IUI (intrauterine insemination), ICI (intracervical insemination), IVF, ICSI, and other Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) such as GIFT and ZIFT. Their IUI and ICI vials are calibrated for specific volumes (approximately 0.5 mL for IUI and 1.0 mL for ICI) ensuring precise delivery and dosage. ART vials are offered as a flexible option: prepared for IUI and ICI, containing fewer motile sperm to suit ART procedures.
Genetic test panel
CCB provides detailed genetic testing information for donors. Sema4 Expanded Carrier Screen (ECS): California Cryobank screens for over 260 genetic disorders including Salla disease, Alpha-thalassemia, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Tay-Sachs Disease, Fragile X syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Ashkenazi Jewish Disorders, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Beta Globin-related Disorders, Karyotype. Genetic Test Summary: Lists specific tests performed on a donor and the results. DNA Advantage Donors: Tested for more than 260 genetic conditions. Special requests: Additional genetic testing can be arranged when possible.
Origin and locations
HQ in Los Angeles, USA and other locations in Cambridge, MA, Palo Alto, CA and New York, NY.
Additional Information
In 2018, it was announced that GI Partners, a private equity firm, acquired California Cryobank from Longitude Capital and NovaQuest Capital. After the acquisition, California Cryobank was merged with Cord Blood Registry (CBR) under a combined “Life Sciences platform” managed by GI Partners and again in 2021, GI Partners announced to sell Generate Life Sciences (which included California Cryobank, donor egg/sperm banks, and related fertility & stem-cell services) to Cooper Companies (the parent of CooperSurgical). The acquisition was meant to bolster CooperSurgical’s fertility and genomics offerings.