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mRNA vaccines spark innovation in logistics: Expert

Anjalee Khemlani·Senior Reporter
Thu, December 17, 2020, 7:02 AM PST·3 min read
The ultra-low temperature demands of the Pfizer (PFE) and BioNTech (BNTX) vaccine are paving a new path for vaccine delivery and storage.

While mRNA vaccines requires a smaller footprint for production than traditional vaccines, once they leave the production plant, there’s a whole new set of hurdles prompting logistics companies to adapt.

Planes have been retrofitted, GPS tracking has been authorized by the FAA, and states are buying large-volume freezers to meet the first generation of vaccine needs. The first several batches are not likely to sit on the shelves for long, experts say.

Food companies are no stranger to the vaccine temperatures — seafood and ice cream are among the foods that require the coldest storage. But the volume and speed required to get the vaccines from the plant to a person’s arm is unprecedented.

So why aren’t more food transportation companies involved? Because of cybersecurity concerns and a need for the federal government, which is overseeing logistics, to vet them.

“We’ve already seen attempts on intrusion into our logistics systems, into our agencies, into our partners,” said Brandon Daniels, president of global markets at Exiger.

Daniels is a consultant for the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, both of which are involved in the vaccine logistics.

A majority of the delivery process has been figured out, but the administration of the vaccine rests on the states.

“We know how to get from ... [the plants] to an airport. I think we know how to get from the airport to a cold-storage fridge, and then I think we know how to implement at the designated major hospitals that are in each of those states. That’s where we are right now. That next phase of distribution out is still in the works,” Daniels said.

“There are courier services that have been engaged. Swift courier services, as an example ... They are traditionally known for rapid distribution of parcels. So there are courier services that are getting engaged in the distribution process,” he added.

Next generation transportation

Daniels believes that in addition to improving cold-chain logistics for the duration of the pandemic, new technologies are likely to take hold.

“Cryogenics companies will be a critical part of the supply chain,” he said. “Things like liquid that can be dry-frozen and unlocked and more advanced technologies are necessary for future distribution.”

For the next level of distribution, there are lots of possibilities to work through.

“We have to manage risk. There’s lot of technology that looks like its out of the movies,” Daniels said.

The ultra-cold storage units states have invested in are challenging to manufacture and ship, and there is also some degree of scarcity, he explained.

But for frozen liquid methods, it’s possible to have smaller cold storage units. And with the unmet global demand percolating, it’s especially important to focus on rural and poor infrastructure areas, he said.

“More advanced technologies are necessary for future distribution, especially with the efficacy numbers that Pfizer and Moderna have published,” Daniels said.

“The idea here needs to be that these technologies allow small, regional, not-as-well-funded areas to get access to these vaccines,” he said.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/m-rna-vaccines-spur-innovation-in-logistics-expert-150201414.html