Vaccines that can be stored without refrigeration have been successfully trialed in patients for the first time, marking a potential breakthrough for immunization in Africa.
Around half of all vaccines are wasted each year, partly due to breaks in the “cold chain,” meaning that between production, transport, and the eventual injection, they become too hot or too cold and are therefore unusable. Most vaccines, including the tetanus-diphtheria jab used in the trial, must be refrigerated or frozen.
The new technology, which was developed by British pharmaceutical company Stablepharma, uses a sugar called trehalose to turn vaccines into a powder that can be stored at room temperature, and later mixed with water before injection. A larger trial is due to begin in the coming months, marking the final research hurdle before potential rollout. One in five children in Africa remains unvaccinated, according to the World Health Organization.