New article: Vaccines safe at high temperatures in new silica cages read more at here http://www.spinonews.com/index.php/science/item/3347-vaccines-safe-at-high-temperatures-in-new-silica-cages

University of Bath team and University of Newcastle make a tiny silica cage could be stored vaccines and antibodies without refrigeration, to deliver vital medicines around the world easier, cheaper and safer.

The process of vaccines has to be kept refrigerated for storage and transportation called "cold chain". Loss of vaccines through breaks in the cold chain are a serious global public health issue, particularly for mass childhood vaccination programmes in the developing world.

But, the new tiny silica cage can keep proteins intact at high temperatures up to 100°C. Silica is non-toxic and inert, which is made from sand. Once the protein has been covered in a silica cage it can be stored or transported without refrigeration before the silica coat can be removed chemically, leaving the proteins unaffected.

The research team calls their method ensilication and hope it will solve the costly and often impractical need for a cold chain to protect protein-based products including vaccines, antibodies and enzymes.

Project leader Dr. Asel Sartbaeva, from the University of Bath, said, once the proteins in vaccine break down and tangle up, it’s useless. So, the ability to store and transport proteins at high temperatures would remove a major logistical problem for safely delivering vaccines and other medicines to patients around the world.

[New laser technique improves neutron yield]

Researchers demonstrate with ensilication that can simply and reliably keep proteins from breaking down even at up to 100°C, or store them as a powder for up to three years at room temperature without loss of function.

When a protein in solution is mixed with silica, silicon dioxide binds closely around protein to match its shape and quickly builds up many layers, encasing the protein. A major advantage of this method is that unlike similar techniques it doesn't require freeze-drying that around half of all vaccines won't survive intact.

More information: [Scientific reports]