CNN reported that COVID-19 vaccine was injected into a volunteer on Monday, July 27 as part of the first US-based Phase 3 clinical trial in Savannah, GA. The trial uses a vaccine candidate developed by Moderna in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health.
This vaccine uses mRNA that causes the creation of proteins found on the outer surface of the coronavirus. It is these proteins that lead the immune system to create antibodies that may be effective against the virus. This Phase 3 study is being conducted across 89 study locations and is targeting 30,000 patients.
Because vaccines are biological products, maintaining vaccine cold chains is critical to product potency and ensuring therapies protect patients. Vaccines can have diminished potency when not stored according to recommended temperatures so great care is required to ensure products are not exposed to temperatures that are too warm or too cold. The 2020 CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit provides guidance to clinicians related to vaccine storage equipment to help safeguard these critical products. Purpose-built and Pharmaceutical-grade units that are specifically designed for the temperature performance required to safely store vaccines are recommended. Helmer Scientific, a leader in vaccine storage, offers a full portfolio of cold storage solutions designed to meet recommendations in the CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit. Helmer GX Solutions provide temperature uniformity, stability and recovery required to ensure vaccines are properly stored and protected.
