Vaccines have saved millions of lives. But keeping them cold has always been a challenge. In many parts of the world, transporting and storing vaccines means relying on a fragile and costly refrigeration system. Now, a British biotech company may have found a way around it. Human trials have begun for the world’s first unrefrigerated vaccines, a potential game-changer in global health.
The innovation comes from Stablepharma, a UK-based company working with the government and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Their first thermostable vaccine is called SPVX02. It’s a reformulated version of the tetanus-diphtheria shot and is now undergoing clinical trials at University Hospital Southampton.
Unlike conventional vaccines, SPVX02 can remain stable at temperatures ranging from -20°C to 40°C and has a shelf life of up to 18 months without refrigeration. These unrefrigerated vaccines could dramatically reduce vaccine waste.
Currently, as much as 50 percent of vaccines are discarded due to breaks in the “cold chain,” the complex, energy-intensive system used to ensure vaccines stay cool from the point of manufacturing to injection. Maintaining that chain in remote areas or developing countries is often impossible, leaving vulnerable populations without protection.
Stablepharma’s technology bypasses this issue and opens the door for faster, broader vaccine access. Health experts say this development could help ensure life-saving doses reach people in remote villages, conflict zones, or regions with unreliable infrastructure.
And this is just the beginning. The company has identified over 60 vaccines that could be adapted into fridge-free formats. It also reports that the manufacturing process can scale to produce millions of doses per year, all without relying on refrigeration or freezing during production or delivery.
Experts like Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, former deputy chief medical officer for England, say this approach could revolutionize how the world delivers vaccines. It also aligns with the World Health Organization’s goals for universal health coverage and equitable vaccine access.
If the clinical trials are successful, Stablepharma’s unrefrigerated vaccines could begin global rollout as early as 2027.
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