How single-use technologies improve vaccine production

In vaccine manufacturing, technological advancements continually redefine the equipment used for efficient production. Single-use technologies have proved to be a more than viable production approach, improving the landscape of vaccine development and distribution.

From its transformative role in fluid management to its impact on maintaining the integrity of the cold chain, single-use technologies offer promising solutions that streamline important processes, improve its efficiency, and enhance the quality of vaccine production.

This article explores the profound impact of single-use technologies on the vaccine industry, shedding light on the numerous advantages it brings to the biopharma industry.

Single-use technologies in today’s vaccine market

In today's vaccine market, single-use technologies represent a game-changing production approach that is being increasingly adopted by vaccine manufacturing companies. Single-use components like bioreactors, mixers, and filtration systems play crucial roles in both streamlining and simplifying manufacturing, mainly because of the flexibility they bring to various processes.

This shift towards single-use systems in biopharma has been further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as a recent report shows: As for the use of bioreactors in commercial-scale bioprocessing, for instance, the share of respective single-use solutions has increased from 32.5% in 2019 to 43% in 2022.¹

This ongoing development does not surprise when considering the numerous benefits that single-use technologies bring to vaccine manufacturing – some of which will be discussed in the following chapters.¹ 

General benefits of SUT in the production of vaccines

Single-use technologies offer a myriad of benefits in vaccine production, extending far beyond specific applications. Their scalability allows manufacturers to adapt swiftly to varying production demands without significant infrastructure changes. Moreover, single-use technologies are considered more sustainable than stainless steel installations, as they minimize water and energy usage by eliminating the need for cleaning and sterilization.²

Cost-effectiveness stems from reduced cleaning and downtime, but also from the minimized risk of product loss due to automated processes in closed sterile systems. In addition, automated single-use technologies diminish human intervention, curbing the risk of errors and contamination.

Here’s a list with the most important benefits of single-use technologies in vaccine manufacturing:

• Reduced processing times
• Shortened time to market
• Adaptability of production capacities, market demands, and scales
• Reduced risk for cross-contamination
• Easy implementation and quick changeovers, thus reducing size and cost of facilities

Sources: ^2 3 

Improved fluid management in vaccine manufacturing

Single-use technologies redefine fluid management in vaccine manufacturing with specific merits. Innovative filling platforms for automated dispensing of liquids into single-use bioprocess containers can drastically minimize product loss, optimize the handling of fluids, and ensure precise volume consistency throughout the manufacturing process. Furthermore, these systems are highly adaptable, catering to diverse batch sizes without compromising efficiency or sterility.

By implementing single-use technologies, the likelihood of cross-contamination diminishes substantially – by simultaneously reducing the need for cleaning and sterilization processes at the manufacturing site. Additional advantages of automated fluid management solutions like RoSS.FILL lie in its modularity and scalability, while providing outstanding accuracy and speed.

Advanced cold chain management in vaccine production & distribution

Advanced cold chain management is critical in vaccine production and distribution, since these valuable substances – whether they are base on small or large molecules – often are not only sensitive to variations in temperature and prone to degradation, but also need to cover long distances from the manufacturer’s site to fill & finish, where liquids are filled into vials or syringes for administration to patients.

Single-use technologies have significantly improved cold chain management in vaccine manufacturing, e.g. by endorsing controlled-rate freezing methods. Unlike conventional freezing methods that may be prone to variability and inconsistency as well as damaging effects like cryoconcentration, controlled-rate freezing provides a precise and reliable approach for freezing vaccines. This method ensures that vaccines maintain their potency and efficacy, safeguarding the product quality throughout the cold chain logistics process.

Single-use bioprocess containers are primary packagings that can be used within a controlled freezing process. Thoroughly protected, different types and sizes of single-use bags can be put into plate-based controlled rate freezers for a standardized freezing and thawing procedure that helps reduce the risk of degradation due to uncontrolled temperature fluctuations. In addition, ULT freezers provide safe and space-efficient ultra-low temperature storage for vaccines and respective components.

Improving vaccine production with Single Use Support

Single Use Support has developed a broad portfolio of single-use solutions, ready to encompass every stage of vaccine development and manufacturing. With RoSS.PADL and RoSS.FILL systems for automated homogenization and filling, fluid management in vaccine manufacturing can benefit from maximized accuracy, consistency and safety. Furthermore, compliance with regulatory standards is facilitated due to standardized workflows and enhanced traceability.

Additionally, Single Use Support provides vaccine manufacturing companies with advanced single-use solutions for effective and reliable cold chain management: The plate freezing platform RoSS.pFTU brings scalability and flexibility to vaccine manufacturing, as it allows controlled-rate freezing of single-use bioprocess containers in different sizes. Covered in RoSS® Shell as an innovative shield for single-use bag protection, valuable vaccines can be securely frozen, stored and shipped.