Vaccine production is a very complex process, making specialist expertise vital to ensuring both the safety and efficacy of the final product. However, depending on the type of vaccine, different approaches are required. An example of this could be a traditional live virus vaccine that requires a dedicated facility, whereas a deactivated virus vaccine will have different challenges, compared to an Adeno-associated (AAV) virus vector vaccine or an mRNA vaccine.

The collaboration across supply chain partners has gone a long way. Let’s hope this is something that will continue beyond the development of vaccines so that other unmet patient needs can be addressed.

In the case of some of the COVID-19 vaccines, one of the biggest challenges is the critical aspect of temperature control. mRNA is often very unstable and therefore requires cryofreezing and a carefully managed thawing process, immediately before filling, and then again before delivery to the patient which is a challenging requirement to navigate. When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccines, timelines are naturally very aggressive meaning there is an increased need for manufacturers to focus on procedural efficiency, correct documentation, and a seamless supply chain route to market.

All these potential bottlenecks are driving more staff recruitment and upfront investments in other resources, to ensure the industry can safely supply these vital medicines to patients. 

In an article with World Pharma Today, our Recipharm experts explore the impacts of COVID-19 on pharmaceutical growth.

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