We have delivered the world’s first trial of a vaccine that doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge.

Key facts

• Around half of all vaccines around the world are wasted every year because they have to be kept cold from production to delivery

• It means people who live in remote areas of the world don’t always get the vaccines they need.

• We’ve delivered the first fridge-free vaccine trial for tetanus and diphtheria and showed it will not lose its effectiveness if it’s not kept cold.

• The technology can be applied to other new medicines and vaccines, with future environmental and cost benefits for the NHS.

Preventing vaccine loss

Millions of vaccine doses are lost every year because of temperature changes during storage and transport.

New fridge-free vaccines have the potential to transform vaccine delivery, reducing the need for refrigeration and improving access for people living in remote communities around the world.

Led by Professor Saul Faust, we have delivered the world’s first in-human trial of a fridge-free vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria. 

The vaccine

The vaccine – called SPVX02 - was developed by UK-based biotech company Stablepharma.

It is inspired by the Resurrection Plant, which dries out and appears dead during a drought, before springing back to life when it rains.

The plant survives by producing a sugar called trehalose, which stabilises the plant's cells during a drought.

Stablepharma dried out an existing vaccine with trehalose to protect its vital components.

Positive results

Sixty people took part in the randomised trial at the NIHR Clinical Research Facility (CRF) in Southampton and in Manchester.

Twenty-eight days after receiving the dose, all participants who were given the vaccine were protected against both tetanus and diphtheria.

Stablepharma has shown that SPVX02 can be stored at temperatures of up to 30°C for at least two years without losing its effectiveness. It can also remain viable if the vaccine fluctuates from -20°C to +40°C.

Worldwide impact

A new trial has begun to test the vaccine in a larger number of participants.

The potential benefits could be enormous. Removing the need for cold storage makes transporting and keeping vaccines easier and cheaper, reaching more people in need. It would also reduce the environmental impact by removing vast amounts of energy that lead to emissions.