Heat-stable tetanus and diphtheria vaccine survives 37°C storage

Researchers in the United Kingdom have formulated a tetanus and diphtheria vaccine that retains its potency after prolonged storage at 37 degrees Celsius.

The vaccine uses a stabilisation technique that protects the protein antigens from heat-induced degradation, a common cause of vaccine failure in regions without reliable cold-chain infrastructure.

In laboratory tests, the preparation maintained protective antibody responses in animal models after four weeks at 37°C, a temperature that typically destroys conventional formulations within days.

Current World Health Organization guidelines require most vaccines to be kept between 2°C and 8°C from manufacture to administration, a standard that is difficult to meet in hot climates or during power outages.

The new formulation could allow health workers to transport doses in simple insulated containers rather than refrigerated vehicles, reducing logistical cost and vaccine wastage.

Further studies are planned to confirm stability over longer periods and to evaluate the approach for other temperature-sensitive vaccines.

Regulatory review and large-scale manufacturing assessments will be needed before the vaccine can be deployed in immunisation programmes.

If approved, the technology could expand vaccination coverage in low-resource settings where cold-chain gaps leave populations vulnerable to preventable diseases.