Cool runnings: SA freezer solves dilemma of transporting Covid vaccine
Companies around the world are working on inventions needed to store and deliver vaccines, which need to be shipped and stored at sub-zero temperatures and can usually only last at specific temperatures for three to five days.
Natural gas and helium producer Renergen has found a solution to this challenge. The SA company launched a prototype mobile ultra-cold vaccine fridge called “Cryo-vacc” that can stay cold for 25 to 30 days without needing a power supply, which most Covid-19 fridges or freezers cannot do. What is Cryo-vacc? Cryo-vacc is a machine that uses liquid helium to keep vaccines cold when transporting them by air and liquid nitrogen for roads. The machine generates temperatures between 8°C all the way to -150ºc.
What was the inspiration behind
this prototype?
Renergen CEO Stefano Marani was inspired by previous vaccine fridges and freezers only being able to hold certain temperatures for three to five days. He said: “The whole point behind this is there are numerous products out there that need sub-zero temperatures and one of the biggest challenges is maintaining those sub-zero temperatures when you are out on the field and don’t have electricity. This will allow you to hold those temperatures.”
How many vaccines can Cryo-vacc hold and for how long?
The machines come in two sizes. The large prototype can hold up to 6,000 Astrazeneca vaccines and just under 5,000 Pfizer vaccines, and the smaller field version machine can hold up to 1,000 Astrazeneca vaccines and about 500 Pfizer vaccines. Cryo-vacc can be used without a power supply for up to 25 to 30 days.
“We will fill in all the details, fuel the machine with everything that it would need for the days that you require, and then once those days are done, its kind of like Cinderella, the carriage will turn into a pumpkin and you will need to restart the process”, said Marani.
How long did it take to develop?
From paper to product, it took about eight weeks to complete, Marani said. “This was a rapid response to a real need, so the idea came about in the first week of December in 2020.”
How will this be a game changer?
The machine will tackle existing challenges of distributing, transporting and rolling out Covid-19 vaccines all around the world without the potential of the medication spoiling, which has happened many times in various places. The machine also has a built-in GPS and monitor, so you are able to track the temperature at all times.
Beyond this, Cryo-vacc can also be used for more than just Covid-19 vaccines.
What else can the machine be used for?
“Putting Covid-19 aside, measles, mumps, ebola, all of these vaccines need to be held at a range of -20 to -70ºc without spoiling, so this machine can be used for any sort of vaccine storage. It’s more than just a Covid vaccine product,” said Marani.
Has anyone bought this product?
Marani said the company has received multiple expressions of interests and order requests from all over the world. In SA the company has partnered with local distributor DPD Laser.
It will buy the units from Renergen and then rent them out to its healthcare warehousing and logistics clients in SA and the Southern African Development Community.
“Outside SA we are in contact with major international transport companies, as this is more of a logistics product and not a pharmaceutical product.”
So if this is a prototype, when will mass production start?
This prototype will be used for validation in the next week or two and once validation is done, which should take around two to three weeks, more of these machines will be produced and previous orders that were requested will be fulfilled.