Preservation in "sugar film" is a cheap and simple way to store vaccines that would eliminate the need for refrigeration, according to a study published in Nature.
To conduct the study, researchers dried viral vaccines into a mixture of pullulan, a polysaccharide polymer, and trehalose, a sugar. The food industry uses pullulan to extend foods' shelf life, and trehalose is a stabilizing agent that prevents degradation, according to Vox. Both are cheap and simple to use. Researchers found the vaccines preserved in this sugar film could be stored effectively for up to three months at 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Just 7 percent of children in the 73 poorest countries have received all the vaccines recommended for full immunity. This problem stems in part from the high cost of storing and distributing vaccines that require refrigeration.
Many research teams are working to improve vaccine preservation, but this study is notable for its cheap solution. At present, the preserved vaccines have only been tested in mice. If proven effective in humans, the use of vaccines preserved in sugar film would significantly improve access to lifesaving vaccines worldwide.