In March 2024 researchers at the University of Albany announced that they have developed a new method to test the integrity of COVID-19 vaccines. The method “could allow anyone with basic skills in vaccine handling to detect expired vaccines” without a need for specialised equipment and can be performed on sealed vials without disrupting the vaccine’s effects. The system, which uses laser-derived signals, can be contained in a portable unit to facilitate transport and handling.
The demands of mRNA
While mRNA proved to be a key player in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, there were immediate “concerns” about transportation and storage. With exposure to sunlight or temperatures outside a precise window of –80°C to –20°C. Dr Lamyaa Almehmadi worked on the project as a PhD student at the RNA Institute and described the “unmet need” for a “quick and easy method to test the stability of mRNA vaccines”.
“To the best of my knowledge, our method is the first to enable an in-situ, non-destructive and reagent-free approach for mRNA stability analysis in mRNA-based vaccines.”
How does it work?
The method uses a Raman spectroscopy instrument developed by the university’s Professor Igor Lednev. The technique involves directing an ultraviolet (UV) laser into a liquid, which creates scattered light that can then be detected and analysed to reveal chemical signatures. The technology has been adapted and combined with advanced machine learning for “various applications” such as forensic science and disease detection.
The most recent application allows the team to detect small changes in the mRNA structure that indicate “loss of therapeutic functionality”. Dr Almehmadi commented that the scattered light is detected and processed to “yield the RNA signature”, which is known as the Raman spectrum.
“The mRNA Raman spectrum is then used for RNA degradation analysis. The test is rapid, typically taking just a few minutes to complete.”
Furthermore, the method can be “fully contained” in a handheld instrument and is non-invasive, so can be used to test multiple vials.
“Individuals with basic training in handling vaccine vials and operating the instrument could utilise our method effectively in a variety of settings outside a lab…with the assistance of advanced software, the process of data collection and results interpretation can be automated, making it accessible to a wider range of users.”
Professor Lednev believes that the technology is “universal in several important ways”.
“It allows for obtaining mRNA spectral characteristics in situ without disintegrating the vaccine capsule. It is also nondestructive; should the test result be positive the vaccine could then be used.”
Thus, the technology “might find numerous applications” for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
How might this technology help your work? Would it be applicable in all settings? For more on vaccine technology and RNA vaccines at the Congress this April do get your tickets to join us here! Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletters here.
