Challenges in the construction of a multi-product vaccine facility

A new multi-product vaccines facility in Sanofi Pasteur was designed and equipped with new state-of-the-art technologies. The construction of this building aims to increase capacity of producing pediatric vaccines and allowed to implement manufacturing process improvements, increase quality compliance level and addressed environmental, and safety concern. This new facility harbors three antigens processes from fermentation to purification and detoxification. The project has been challenging on different points: new equipment, process transfer issues, new qualification/validation strategy and regulatory registration. Apart from global feedbacks on costs, organization, resources, performance and authorities communication strategies, focus was also directed towards the resolution of a process issue during validation steps. A trouble- shooting group has been mobilized to work on the different axes with a specific method. Resolution of all the issues permitted the building registration, and therefore the vaccination of millions of children

New insights in formaldehyde-induced detoxification of the tetanus toxin: Chemical modification stoichiometry and characterization of intra- and inter-molecular cross-links

The active ingredient of the tetanus vaccine, known as tetanus toxoid (TTD, 150 kDa), is prepared by inactivation of the tetanus toxin with formaldehyde. This chemical treatment determines the efficiency and innocuity of the vaccine. The detoxification chemistry has been qualitatively studied regarding the nature and positioning of some formaldehyde-induced modifications. However, neither the stoichiometry of the chemical modifications or intra- and inter-chain cross-linking have been yet characterized, despite being of great interest for the definitive elucidation of the detoxification mechanism as well as for future manufacturing follow-up. The aim of the present study is to assess the impact of formaldehyde on TTD by identifying, mapping, and quantifying as exhaustively as possible, all formaldehyde-induced modifications over the entire three-dimensional (3D) structure of the protein. Please click Download on the upper right corner to see the full abstract