New Australian heat tolerant COVID-19 vaccine heads to human trials
Most COVID-19 vaccines today have to be stored at extremely low temperatures making it hard to get them to remote regions who need them.
Key takeaways
- One particular challenge in effectively distributing COVID-19 vaccines across the world is the need for most vaccines to be kept at cold temperatures.
- Pfizer and BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine, for example, famously requires ultra-cold storage between -80 °C and -60 °C (-112 °F to ‑76 °F) making delivery to remote communities profoundly difficult and expensive, if not impossible.
- Recent research from Pfizer amended those temperature guidelines, finding normal freezer temperatures of between -25 °C to -15 °C (-13 °F to 5 °F) are safe for at least two weeks.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2021) 'New Australian heat tolerant COVID-19 vaccine heads to human trials', 311 Institute, 31 August. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/new-australian-heat-tolerant-covid-19-vaccine-heads-to-human-trials/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
As the global pandemic continues to rage and cause havoc one of the biggest problems vaccine makers have is getting their vaccines into people’s arms without them spoiling in the heat first. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that scientists have been trying to find new solutions to ironically what’s an old problem.
Now, a new heat tolerant COVID-19 vaccine has delivered strong preclinical results. The vaccine can remain stable for up to 30 days at around 37 °C (98 °F) and researchers are looking to begin human trials later this year.
One particular challenge in effectively distributing COVID-19 vaccines across the world is the need for most vaccines to be kept at cold temperatures. Pfizer and BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine, for example, famously requires ultra-cold storage between -80 °C and -60 °C (-112 °F to ‑76 °F) making delivery to remote communities profoundly difficult and expensive, if not impossible.
Recent research from Pfizer amended those temperature guidelines, finding normal freezer temperatures of between -25 °C to -15 °C (-13 °F to 5 °F) are safe for at least two weeks. But even then, cold storage supply lines still make it challenging to widely distribute the vaccine.
“A thermostable or ‘warm vaccine’ is critical for remote or resource-limited locations with extremely hot climates which lack reliable cold storage supply chains, including regional communities in Africa, Australia’s outback, and the Indo-Pacific region,” says Rob Grenfell, from Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO.
The new vaccine was developed by biotech startup Mynvax, in conjunction with the Indian Institute of Science. Reporting in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases, researchers found the vaccine produces robust neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in mouse and guinea pig models.
“Our data shows that all formulations of Mynvax tested result in antibodies capable of consistent and effective neutralization of the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern,” says S Vasan, co-author on the new study.
This heat-tolerant vaccine formulation was found to be impressively stable in warm temperatures. It is effective for a month at 37 °C (98 °F) temperatures and even remained stable for up to 90 minutes at boiling temperatures of 100 °C (212 °F).
These promising preclinical results pave the way for a human trial to kick off later this year. Researchers hope a heat-tolerant COVID-19 vaccine with efficacy against newer SARS-CoV-2 variants will help deliver vaccines to remote communities.
The new study was published in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases.
Source: CSIRO
What this means for your organisation
The cold chain is the barrier.
Many vaccines need ultra cold storage, which remote and hot regions lack. A vaccine stable in heat removes that obstacle. More people can be reached faster.
Logistics costs could fall.
Cold storage adds cost and waste at every step. Heat tolerant vaccines could ship like ordinary goods. Health budgets go further.
Trials will decide.
So far the results come from animals. Human trials must confirm safety and protection. Leaders should watch results before changing supply plans.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Where do cold chain limits stop us reaching patients or customers?
- How much would heat stable products save our logistics?
- What trial results would make us switch suppliers?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Most COVID-19 vaccines today have to be stored at extremely low temperatures making it hard to get them to remote regions who need them.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- requires ultra-cold storage npr.org
- CSIRO csiro.au
- Mynvax sid.iisc.ac.in
- Indian Institute of Science iisc.ac.in
- ACS Infectious Diseases pubs.acs.org
- Csiro study into new warm vaccine csiro.au
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 31 August 2021. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2021). New Australian heat tolerant COVID-19 vaccine heads to human trials. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/new-australian-heat-tolerant-covid-19-vaccine-heads-to-human-trials/
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