Xconomy: PATH Scientists Discover Cheap, Easy Way to Protect Vaccines from Hot and Cold
Summary
Propylene glycol is a common stabilizing solvent found in many pharmaceuticals and consumer products like mouthwash and toothpaste.Histidine is thought to enhance the stability of vaccines that contain adjuvants, or immune-boosting compounds designed to make them more potent, Chen says.PATH began this project back in 2003, and the vaccine stabilization work has long been supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.Clinical trials will be required to confirm that the new formulation is both more stable, and also effective at protecting people from infection, Kristensen says.The list of other techniques includes things like color-coded temperature-monitoring stickers on vials that say whether a vaccine has spoiled, increased amounts of cold-chain equipment, or improved training of healthcare delivery workers.