Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in Vaccines
Most freeze-sensitive vaccines are stored between 2 °C and 8 °C upon manufacturing and until they are eventually administered in intermediate vaccine stores and health facilities. This so-called “cold chain” of vaccine distribution is strictly regulated at these specific temperatures to avoid freeze...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/6/3173 |
| _version_ | 1797472889374507008 |
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| author | Shawn Jun Youngbok Ko Seung Hyun Lee |
| author_facet | Shawn Jun Youngbok Ko Seung Hyun Lee |
| author_sort | Shawn Jun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most freeze-sensitive vaccines are stored between 2 °C and 8 °C upon manufacturing and until they are eventually administered in intermediate vaccine stores and health facilities. This so-called “cold chain” of vaccine distribution is strictly regulated at these specific temperatures to avoid freeze damage. Liquid formulations of particular vaccines (e.g., aluminum-adsorbed tetanus toxoid (TT)) will irreversibly lose their immunogenicity once frozen. Using an oscillating magnetic field (OMF), supercooling can inhibit ice crystal nucleation effectively; water is susceptible to influence by a strong magnetic field, allowing normal water dynamics even in subzero freezing conditions. This recently developed technology—composed of a custom-designed electromagnet unit producing an optimal field strength (50 mT) at a specific frequency (1 Hz)—was successfully used to inhibit the formation of ice crystals in aluminum adjuvant TT vaccines, therefore preventing any visible damage in the vaccines’ microscopic structure. Despite being subject to temperatures far below their freezing point (up to −14 °C) for up to seven days, the TT vaccines showed no freeze damage on physical appearances. Results were further validated using shake tests and light microscopy. As storage and freeze-protection become more critical during times of increased vaccination efforts—particularly against COVID-19—this supercooling technology can be a promising solution to distribution problems by removing concern for temperature abuse or shock-induced freezing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:07:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40902f533db54edba90dcedfb09946f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:07:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-40902f533db54edba90dcedfb09946f62023-11-24T00:24:57ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-03-01126317310.3390/app12063173Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in VaccinesShawn Jun0Youngbok Ko1Seung Hyun Lee2Jun Innovations Inc., 2800 Woodlawn Dr. Suite 298, Honolulu, HI 96822, USADepartment of Obtetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National Uninversity, Daejeon 35015, KoreaDepartment of Biosystems Machinery Engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, KoreaMost freeze-sensitive vaccines are stored between 2 °C and 8 °C upon manufacturing and until they are eventually administered in intermediate vaccine stores and health facilities. This so-called “cold chain” of vaccine distribution is strictly regulated at these specific temperatures to avoid freeze damage. Liquid formulations of particular vaccines (e.g., aluminum-adsorbed tetanus toxoid (TT)) will irreversibly lose their immunogenicity once frozen. Using an oscillating magnetic field (OMF), supercooling can inhibit ice crystal nucleation effectively; water is susceptible to influence by a strong magnetic field, allowing normal water dynamics even in subzero freezing conditions. This recently developed technology—composed of a custom-designed electromagnet unit producing an optimal field strength (50 mT) at a specific frequency (1 Hz)—was successfully used to inhibit the formation of ice crystals in aluminum adjuvant TT vaccines, therefore preventing any visible damage in the vaccines’ microscopic structure. Despite being subject to temperatures far below their freezing point (up to −14 °C) for up to seven days, the TT vaccines showed no freeze damage on physical appearances. Results were further validated using shake tests and light microscopy. As storage and freeze-protection become more critical during times of increased vaccination efforts—particularly against COVID-19—this supercooling technology can be a promising solution to distribution problems by removing concern for temperature abuse or shock-induced freezing.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/6/3173freeze-sensitive vaccinetemperature abusemagnetic fieldsubzero temperaturecold chain |
| spellingShingle | Shawn Jun Youngbok Ko Seung Hyun Lee Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in Vaccines Applied Sciences freeze-sensitive vaccine temperature abuse magnetic field subzero temperature cold chain |
| title | Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in Vaccines |
| title_full | Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in Vaccines |
| title_fullStr | Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in Vaccines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in Vaccines |
| title_short | Explorative Supercooling Technology for Prevention of Freeze Damages in Vaccines |
| title_sort | explorative supercooling technology for prevention of freeze damages in vaccines |
| topic | freeze-sensitive vaccine temperature abuse magnetic field subzero temperature cold chain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/6/3173 |
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