Smart heat trick makes vaccine production safer, cheaper
New vaccine production tech cuts contamination by 99.97%, speeding up and cleaning the manufacturing process.
Published on June 13, 2025
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Researchers at Wageningen University & Research have unveiled BacFreets, an innovative vaccine technology that can help produce vaccines faster and cheaper, and without the use of contaminants. This innovative approach is effective against various viruses and aligns with current production techniques.
A common method for producing vaccines involves using virus-like particles (VLPs), which mimic real viruses but lack genetic material, making them safe yet effective in triggering immune responses. A well-known example is the vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
However, producing VLPs using insect cells and baculovirus has long been plagued by contamination issues. The baculovirus, while essential for instructing cells to produce vaccine proteins, also replicates itself, leading to contamination that is difficult and costly to remove. This contamination complicates the production process, increases costs, and can affect vaccine quality.
The discovery
The BacFreets technology involves a temperature-sensitive modification of the baculovirus. At 27° C, the baculovirus functions normally. However, at a slightly higher temperature of 33° C, the baculovirus ceases to produce its particles while continuing to produce VLPs.
By carefully regulating the temperature in the bioreactor, researchers can almost entirely prevent baculovirus contamination in the final product. This smart temperature switch reduces contamination by up to 99.97%, a result that exceeded the researchers' expectations.
Fit for the industry
One of the significant advantages of BacFreets is its compatibility with existing production methods. The modified viruses can be used with the insect cells and techniques already available in many labs and biotech companies, requiring no costly or complex changes.
The technique has been successfully tested for VLPs from four different viruses: the West Nile virus, chikungunya virus, Coxsackievirus A6, and the foot-and-mouth disease virus. While there was a slight drop in yield for two of the viruses at higher temperatures, the overall reduction in contamination makes BacFreets a promising step forward.
Scaling up the technology
The BacFreets system has achieved a Technology Readiness Level of 4 (TRL4), meaning it has been tested in controlled conditions. The next step is to scale up to industrial production, which will require precise temperature control in the bioreactor to avoid contamination or lower yields.
Although BacFreets significantly reduces unwanted baculovirus particles, purification steps will still be necessary to produce high-quality clinical vaccines. Nevertheless, this method marks an important step towards more efficient and cleaner vaccine production, potentially leading to cheaper and faster manufacturing processes.
