No-refrigeration vaccines tested by Stablepharma to improve African vaccine access
Stablepharma launched in April 2025 the first human trial of a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine stable without refrigeration. This innovation could address cold chain challenges in Africa, where unreliable electricity and transport limit vaccine coverage, especially in isolated or conflict-affected areas.
Brève Publié le (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1)
In April 2025, British biotech company Stablepharma began the first human clinical trial of a tetanus and diphtheria vaccine designed to remain stable without refrigeration, according to The Conversation Africa.
This breakthrough could significantly improve vaccine distribution in Africa, where maintaining the cold chain—keeping vaccines between 2 °C and 8 °C—is difficult due to unreliable electricity, limited transport infrastructure, and conflict-related disruptions.
Experts Charles Shey Wiysonge and Chinwe Juliana Iwu-Jaja highlight that vaccines often endure long transit and storage periods, requiring continuous refrigeration to preserve efficacy and safety. Failure in any link of the cold chain can render vaccines unusable.
In conflict zones like Sudan, UNICEF reported in 2023 that power outages and fuel shortages compromised central cold storage holding millions of vaccine doses.
A vaccine stable without refrigeration could ease logistical constraints for health workers conducting outreach in remote or unstable regions, potentially expanding immunization coverage across the continent.