Why sustainability matters for vaccines of the future
Dr Sean Elias, previously part of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine team, explains how sustainability can be improved in vaccine production and delivery.
I have worked in the field of vaccines since 2008, initially as a lab-based immunologist with a focus on human clinical vaccine trials. I was part of the Oxford Team responsible for the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and during that time switched from the lab to a communications and public engagement focused role. Since the pandemic I believe there is greater public awareness of how vaccines work and their importance, but still a knowledge gap when it comes to how vaccines are manufactured. My current role is as Public Engagement with Research Lead for VaxHub. My mission is to spread the word about vaccine platforms and technology that embrace sustainability in their design.
Sustainability can be defined as the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time without depletion. In manufacturing, common approaches to achieve product sustainability include use of renewable energy, reduction of single use plastics, and recyclability. But it is not just about the products. We must also consider the sourcing of raw materials, pre-and post-manufacturing transport of products and end of life handling. A move towards sustainability is not just about looking good in the eyes of the public. For a manufacturing company sustainability can also contribute to efficiency. Typically, efficiency is about maximising output whilst minimising material and energy consumption. But it can also be about how adaptable a given process can be when challenged. Modularity or flexibility can equally reduce wasted time, energy and materials. Such an approach is seen as increasingly important in the manufacturing of biomedicines. Sustainable practises can also ensure equitable access to medical products, by ensuring local and global access and maintained production over time, even during periods of high demand. A perfect example to highlight this is vaccine manufacturing for pandemic preparation and responses. So, let’s explore some examples of how sustainability can be introduced into the vaccine manufacturing pipeline.
Ethanol is an important ingredient in vaccine manufacturing, most commonly used as a solvent for example in RNA vaccines or in purification for example traditional bacterial vaccines. Ethanol is traditionally produced through the fermentation of sugars or starches from plant-based feedstocks such as corn or sugarcane. Moving away from ethanol produced from these sources to more sustainable sources such as waste biomass or algae is a first step to increasing your overall sustainability.
Through process optimisation we can also work to reduce the amount of ethanol or any other key manufacturing ingredient we use in our processes in an attempt to make them more efficient. This not only saves on material costs but also energy costs, again adding extra layers of sustainability. Importantly costs savings associated with such reductions can (and I would argue should) be passed on to consumers. When developing vaccines for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), low cost products can drastically increase uptake and consequently impact.
Water is also used in high volumes in vaccine manufacturing. Rather than just reduce usage we can instead look to re-use. Utilising a circular economy model, we can aim to both eliminate waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible. Most waste water in vaccine manufacturing requires treatment. A novel solution is to use bio-integrated design, whereby architectural design and bio-organisms (e.g. algae) are combined to help purify waste water from the vaccine manufacturing process.
Another area we can add sustainability into the process is local sourcing of materials and local or regional manufacturing facilities. Reducing reliance on products shipped across the world is a certain way to reduce the carbon footprint of a vaccine. Adopting a distributed manufacturing model we can support production of goods closer to the end-user. This is ideal for vaccines against endemic diseases with limited geographical distribution. But manufacturers in LMICs are likely to still be dependent on import of raw materials. In an ideal world we would build capacity for raw material provision in parallel. Having multiple global supply sources for vaccine manufacturing and raw materials adds redundancy to the system adding protection during times of great demand (e.g. pandemics). They also protect equitable access to vaccines by limiting hoarding or vaccine nationalism.
The final step we will explore is reducing waste up to the point of delivery. Many vaccines have temperature specific storage requirements, which contribute to waste when not adhered to, particularly during transport, a breakdown in the cold chain during shipping can result in vaccine doses not being considered to be acceptable for clinical use and hence are wasted. There are two alternative approaches which can help counter such waste. Firstly, we can address the vaccine itself. Thermostability solutions attempt to increase the temperature range at which vaccines as viable. These include novel vaccine platform technologies such as Virus Like Particles (VLPs), advances in vaccine formulation, fixation of vaccines onto novel surfaces and novel delivery devices such as microneedles. The alternative is to address the transport itself. Refrigeration unit manufacturing their and running costs are inherently energy expensive. Embracing solar energy to power refrigeration is a great starting point. The next step is to explore modularity and flexibility. Vaccine distribution at is most difficult is in remote locations where multiple transport solutions are required. The ability to use a single refrigeration unit across different vehicles (including cars, bikes, boats etc) without unpacking and repacking would be a game changer, but we must ensure such units are made in a sustainable way. Local manufacturing and support for local maintenance can contribute to this.
Alone, these efforts to increase sustainability in vaccine manufacturing may have minimal impact especially if targeted to a single vaccine model. If correctly connected they can achieve much more. VaxHub, funded by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Department of Heath and Social Care, was launched in September 2023. The hub is split into two defined, but interconnected programmes, VaxHub Sustainable and VaxHub Global. The joint network, co-led by UCL and The University of Oxford, brings together world-leading academic and industry experts in vaccinology, synthetic biology, biochemistry, materials science, and systems engineering. Its focus is on complementary research programmes that are non-disease-specific, focusing on the development and optimisation of various vaccine platform technologies to combat pandemic threats. These platform technologies aim to embrace sustainable manufacturing and make them globally accessible. Many of the hubs ongoing and newly funded short research projects embrace the approaches discussed in this article with preliminary results expected in 2026. In addition to research, policy engagement is another critical element to ensure the hub has impact. The UK Government’s recent Industrial Strategy Green Paper highlighted that there is currently a unique window of opportunity for the UK to capitalise on the significant potential for economic growth and increased national resilience offered by sustainable medicines manufacturing. You can read more here on how this influences the hubs approach to its research.
VaxHub’s full 7 year programme runs up to 2030 so keep an eye out for further results beyond the year ahead and progress towards a sustainable future. You can find further information on current VaxHub research programmes and recently funded projects below:
Public Engagement with Research Lead, Oxford Pandemic Sciences Institute
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I have worked in the field of vaccines since 2008, initially as a lab-based immunologist with a focus on human clinical vaccine trials. I was part of the Oxford Team responsible for the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and during that time switched from the lab to a communications and public engagement focused role. Since the pandemic I believe there is greater public awareness of how vaccines work and their importance, but still a knowledge gap when it comes to how vaccines are manufactured. My current role is as Public Engagement with Research Lead for VaxHub. My mission is to spread the word about vaccine platforms and technology that embrace sustainability in their design.
Sustainability can be defined as the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time without depletion. In manufacturing, common approaches to achieve product sustainability include use of renewable energy, reduction of single use plastics, and recyclability. But it is not just about the products. We must also consider the sourcing of raw materials, pre-and post-manufacturing transport of products and end of life handling. A move towards sustainability is not just about looking good in the eyes of the public. For a manufacturing company sustainability can also contribute to efficiency. Typically, efficiency is about maximising output whilst minimising material and energy consumption. But it can also be about how adaptable a given process can be when challenged. Modularity or flexibility can equally reduce wasted time, energy and materials. Such an approach is seen as increasingly important in the manufacturing of biomedicines. Sustainable practises can also ensure equitable access to medical products, by ensuring local and global access and maintained production over time, even during periods of high demand. A perfect example to highlight this is vaccine manufacturing for pandemic preparation and responses. So, let’s explore some examples of how sustainability can be introduced into the vaccine manufacturing pipeline.
Ethanol is an important ingredient in vaccine manufacturing, most commonly used as a solvent for example in RNA vaccines or in purification for example traditional bacterial vaccines. Ethanol is traditionally produced through the fermentation of sugars or starches from plant-based feedstocks such as corn or sugarcane. Moving away from ethanol produced from these sources to more sustainable sources such as waste biomass or algae is a first step to increasing your overall sustainability.
Through process optimisation we can also work to reduce the amount of ethanol or any other key manufacturing ingredient we use in our processes in an attempt to make them more efficient. This not only saves on material costs but also energy costs, again adding extra layers of sustainability. Importantly costs savings associated with such reductions can (and I would argue should) be passed on to consumers. When developing vaccines for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), low cost products can drastically increase uptake and consequently impact.
Water is also used in high volumes in vaccine manufacturing. Rather than just reduce usage we can instead look to re-use. Utilising a circular economy model, we can aim to both eliminate waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible. Most waste water in vaccine manufacturing requires treatment. A novel solution is to use bio-integrated design, whereby architectural design and bio-organisms (e.g. algae) are combined to help purify waste water from the vaccine manufacturing process.
Another area we can add sustainability into the process is local sourcing of materials and local or regional manufacturing facilities. Reducing reliance on products shipped across the world is a certain way to reduce the carbon footprint of a vaccine. Adopting a distributed manufacturing model we can support production of goods closer to the end-user. This is ideal for vaccines against endemic diseases with limited geographical distribution. But manufacturers in LMICs are likely to still be dependent on import of raw materials. In an ideal world we would build capacity for raw material provision in parallel. Having multiple global supply sources for vaccine manufacturing and raw materials adds redundancy to the system adding protection during times of great demand (e.g. pandemics). They also protect equitable access to vaccines by limiting hoarding or vaccine nationalism.
The final step we will explore is reducing waste up to the point of delivery. Many vaccines have temperature specific storage requirements, which contribute to waste when not adhered to, particularly during transport, a breakdown in the cold chain during shipping can result in vaccine doses not being considered to be acceptable for clinical use and hence are wasted. There are two alternative approaches which can help counter such waste. Firstly, we can address the vaccine itself. Thermostability solutions attempt to increase the temperature range at which vaccines as viable. These include novel vaccine platform technologies such as Virus Like Particles (VLPs), advances in vaccine formulation, fixation of vaccines onto novel surfaces and novel delivery devices such as microneedles. The alternative is to address the transport itself. Refrigeration unit manufacturing their and running costs are inherently energy expensive. Embracing solar energy to power refrigeration is a great starting point. The next step is to explore modularity and flexibility. Vaccine distribution at is most difficult is in remote locations where multiple transport solutions are required. The ability to use a single refrigeration unit across different vehicles (including cars, bikes, boats etc) without unpacking and repacking would be a game changer, but we must ensure such units are made in a sustainable way. Local manufacturing and support for local maintenance can contribute to this.
Alone, these efforts to increase sustainability in vaccine manufacturing may have minimal impact especially if targeted to a single vaccine model. If correctly connected they can achieve much more. VaxHub, funded by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Department of Heath and Social Care, was launched in September 2023. The hub is split into two defined, but interconnected programmes, VaxHub Sustainable and VaxHub Global. The joint network, co-led by UCL and The University of Oxford, brings together world-leading academic and industry experts in vaccinology, synthetic biology, biochemistry, materials science, and systems engineering. Its focus is on complementary research programmes that are non-disease-specific, focusing on the development and optimisation of various vaccine platform technologies to combat pandemic threats. These platform technologies aim to embrace sustainable manufacturing and make them globally accessible. Many of the hubs ongoing and newly funded short research projects embrace the approaches discussed in this article with preliminary results expected in 2026. In addition to research, policy engagement is another critical element to ensure the hub has impact. The UK Government’s recent Industrial Strategy Green Paper highlighted that there is currently a unique window of opportunity for the UK to capitalise on the significant potential for economic growth and increased national resilience offered by sustainable medicines manufacturing. You can read more here on how this influences the hubs approach to its research.
VaxHub’s full 7 year programme runs up to 2030 so keep an eye out for further results beyond the year ahead and progress towards a sustainable future. You can find further information on current VaxHub research programmes and recently funded projects below:
