- Thermostable vaccine technology is considered a significant unmet need in epidemic preparedness.
- Soligenix has been developing formulations intended to remain stable even when stored for extended periods at temperatures above 40°C.
- Soligenix’s ThermoVax(R) technology has broad applicability in Emerging Infectious Disease.
Current vaccines for Ebola and similar filoviruses face a major deployment barrier: Most require storage between 2°C and 8°C throughout transport, making them vulnerable to spoilage when exposed to the high ambient heat common in many outbreak regions (https://ibn.fm/MZWfk). Soligenix (NASDAQ: SNGX), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in biodefense and rare disease vaccines, has published a peer-reviewed summary of new scientific data demonstrating long-term high-temperature stability of its protein subunit vaccine platform designed for Ebola and Marburg-related viruses (https://ibn.fm/F2JpN).
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 50% of vaccine doses globally are wasted each year due to breakdown in the cold chain, driven largely by inadequate temperature control during transport and storage (https://ibn.fm/WJsm6). Studies report that live-attenuated and recombinant vector vaccines begin losing potency when exposed for even short durations above 30°C.
In sub-Saharan Africa, where Ebola virus outbreaks have occurred, standard ambient temperatures often exceed 35°C, and supply routes can take days or weeks, making cold-chain maintenance costly and sometimes even physically impossible (https://ibn.fm/lbM9v). This is compounded by the fact that Ebola vaccines require ultra-cold storage at –60°C to –80°C prior to distribution.
Thermostable vaccine technology is considered a significant unmet need in epidemic preparedness. Moreover, the African CDC has publicly stated that heat-stable vaccines would eliminate one of the biggest sources of logistic failure during early-stage outbreak response. These durability constraints apply not only to Ebola but to other filoviruses and Category A biothreat agents prioritized by U.S. government biodefense funding.
Soligenix has been developing formulations intended to remain stable even when stored for extended periods at temperatures above 40°C, a capability that could transform global outbreak response readiness. The company’s publication, titled “Development of Thermostable Filovirus Vaccines Using Protein Subunit Technology,” outlines preclinical data showing that the company’s filovirus vaccine antigens, formulated with its proprietary ThermoVax(R) platform, maintained structural integrity and immunogenicity after 12 months of storage at 40°C. The same formulation also outperformed unstabilized comparators that degraded significantly under identical conditions. Most recently, this stability window was increased to at least 2 years (24 months) at 40°C (https://ibn.fm/9E1ba). The publication expands earlier work funded through ongoing U.S. government contracts with BARDA and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Soligenix’s approach does not rely on viral vectors or mRNA encapsulation but instead uses protein subunit antigens, a modality with a long safety track record, paired with a lyophilized heat-stabilizing formulation. Because the vaccine is freeze dried into a solid form, it does not require refrigeration and can be reconstituted at the point of care with standard diluent. If scaled, this could allow an entire outbreak-readiness stockpile capable of being stored at room temperature in strategic global hubs for years at a time without potency loss.
Importantly, Soligenix’s ThermoVax(R) technology is not limited to Ebola. The company has applied the same thermal stabilization method across candidate vaccines for Ricin toxin, COVID-19, Marburg virus and Sudan ebolavirus, creating the potential for a unified platform approach. The new publication adds further validation after government-funded preclinical testing and puts the company in position to seek additional nondilutive biodefense contracts.
While the publication does not include human clinical data, the ability to deliver vaccines that remain fully active after one year at 40°C represents a significant preclinical milestone if reproduced at scale. For global health agencies and defense authorities, the implications are strategic: Vaccine stockpiles could be positioned in African or Southeast Asian regions without fear of heat-related spoilage, dramatically reducing time lost to cold-chain transport. As climate volatility increases and outbreak frequency rises, thermostable vaccines are considered essential for next-generation pandemic preparedness.
Soligenix plans to advance its ThermoVax-enabled filovirus vaccines toward further regulatory development in coordination with U.S. federal partners. The publication marks one of the strongest public demonstrations to date that a protein-based vaccine platform, traditionally viewed as less rugged outside controlled environments, can match or exceed the heat stability performance targeted by synthetic or nanoparticle-stabilized platforms. If validated in human trials, this work could place Soligenix at the center of future global procurement strategies focused on readiness rather than reactive response.
For more information, visit www.Soligenix.com.
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