CSIRO Geelong researchers part of scientific breakthrough to improve vaccine transportation

CSIRO scientists have helped achieve a significant scientific discovery that could revolutionise how temperature-sensitive vaccines are transported, particularly to remote parts of Australia.

Researchers have developed a technique that deals with the challenge of ­transporting temperature-­dependent vaccines, which they hope may increase access in rural and remote communities in Australia and developing countries.

The breakthrough science involved CSIRO researchers from the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in ­Geelong.

CSIRO researchers encapsulated live virus vaccines with a dissolvable crystalline ­material called metal organic frameworks (MOFs).

This protected the integrity of the vaccines for up to 12 weeks and at temperatures as high as 37C.

Without refrigeration the vaccines would otherwise last only a few days.

The World Health Organisation estimates at least 50 per cent of vaccines are wasted globally each year, with a lack of facilities and temperature control the major cause.

CSIRO senior scientist Cara Doherty says metal organic frameworks are the perfect material for protecting vaccines from temperature variations.

CSIRO scientist and immunologist Daniel Layton, from the ACDP, said the science would now focus on proving the approach for other animal and human vaccines, including mRNA Covid vaccines.

“Vaccination is undoubtedly one of the most effective medical interventions, saving millions of lives each year, however delivering vaccines, particularly to developing countries, is challenging because they often lack the cold storage supply chains required to keep the vaccine viable,” Dr Layton said.

“Live virus vaccines are extremely effective, but their complex composition makes them susceptible to high temperatures, and a universal stabilisation technique has not been found.

“This breakthrough has the potential to enable more affordable and equitable access to vaccines across the world.”

The research focused on two types of live viruses as proofs of concept, a Newcastle disease vaccine designed to protect poultry and a strain of influenza A.

When MOFs were formed around the vaccines they helped protect the vaccine molecules from heat stress.

A solution was then used that dissolved the MOFs for ­administration of the vaccine.

CSIRO senior scientist Cara Doherty said MOFs were the perfect material for protecting vaccines from temperature variations.

“MOFs are a porous crystalline material that can grow around the vaccine to form a scaffold that protects against temperature variations,” Dr Doherty said.

CSIRO researcher and ­author of the paper Ruhani Singh said the technique was cost-effective and scalable.

“There are two common approaches to protecting vaccines from heat,” she said.

“You can modify the vaccine, which is complex and laborious and at high temperatures may still only last less than a week, or you can use other stabilising agents which pose challenges including how to realistically scale up the solution.

“This world-first approach of stabilising a vaccine with MOFs is simple, rapid, and scalable because it takes one-step.”

The research was recently published in Acta Biomaterialia.

Originally published as CSIRO Geelong researchers part of scientific breakthrough to improve vaccine transportation