Protein-based vaccines, which are relatively stable, are “low-hanging fruits,” says Maria Bottazzi, a microbiologist who co-directs the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. But other types, like live attenuated viral vaccines, are especially susceptible to changes in temperature. Diverse approaches are necessary, she says: “There’s no silver bullet.”
But even if technical hurdles are overcome, getting temperature-stable formulations to market requires “aligning all the stars,” for manufacturers and regulators, Bottazzi says.