Successfull implementation of the NanoFlowSizer for COVID19 vaccine development

The NanoFlowSizer is now used for the measurement of the particle size of vaccine delivery systems during production, with successful results!

Vaccine development

Some of the challenges to creating RNA vaccines is making sure that the RNA gets into the right immune cells and produces enough of the encoded protein. Additionally, the vaccine must stimulate a strong enough response that the immune system can wipe out the relevant bacteria, viruses, or cancer cells when they are subsequently encountered. 

Vaccine delivery systems

One of the ways to improve the efficiency of the RNA vaccines is by the use of a suitable delivery system.  Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of new and improved vaccine delivery systems.  The most common deliver systems for RNA vaccines for increasing potency include liposomes and cationic polymers.  Based on innovations, now a new series of lipid nanoparticles to deliver such vaccines have been developed, being the most clinically advanced non-viral gene delivery system. 
Vaccine developers have to optimize nanoformulations for the efficient packaging and safe delivery of the genetic material.

Lipid nanoparticle technology

Lipid nanoparticle formulations of small molecule drugs represent a relatively mature technology.  The design of features such as optimal particle sizes (100 nm diameter or less) is required for lipid-based delivery systems.  For this reason it is important to have a system that can monitor the particle size during the production of these vaccine delivery systems.

Real-time feedback during processing

Inline measurement of the nanoformulation, nano-size and characteristics is performed by the NanoFlowSizer in real time and non-invasive. Production processes of vaccines get direct real-time feedback about quality, purity and particle size. Every 10 sec data about progress of the nanoformulation is released.

Developing immunity

A vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies, as if it was exposed to the disease.  Vaccines contain the same germs (or part of them) that cause disease, such as viruses, bacteria, or toxins, that have been either killed or weakened to the point that can not cause the illness.  

In this way vaccines prepare your body to fight the disease faster and more effectively developing immunity to that disease.

New generation vaccines

Most vaccines against viral diseases are made from viruses grown in chicken eggs or mammalian cells.  The process of collecting the viruses, adapting them to grow in the lab and shipping them around the world can take months and it is complex.  New-generation vaccines, such as RNA vaccines, have been developed to minimize the production time.  RNA vaccines, which encodes an antigen of the infectious agent, are made from a DNA template in the lab.  The DNA can be synthesized from an electronic sequence that can be sent across the world in an instant by computer.  The generation of an experimental batch of an RNA vaccine takes approximately a week.