Vaccine production processes are long and complex, taking six to twenty-two months on average. The reproducibility of manufacturing processes is often hard to control because of significant production variability, and every production step must be subject to quality and safety controls. Deploying dedicated vaccine manufacturing equipment is necessary to meet these production challenges. MGA Technologies designs custom machines for sterile processes that meet these requirements.
Introduction to Vaccine Manufacturing
Manufacturing a vaccine is a long and complex process that requires a very high level of expertise. Vaccine manufacturing equipment must be suited to the process and comply with the applicable standards and regulations, which are even stricter and more demanding for vaccines than for medicines. At every stage of manufacturing, the efficacy, quality and safety of each batch must be checked, and this continues after the vaccine has been placed on the market.
The aim of vaccine manufacturing is to create an antigen capable of stimulating the patient’s immune system to produce antibodies. The antigen is derived from the germ that causes the disease. This germ can be inactivated, attenuated or live.
Vaccine manufacturing takes place in two stages:
- Production of the active substance, in several sub-steps: creation of a germ bank, culture of the bacteria or viruses, harvesting of the antigen, inactivation and assembly of the antigenic valences;
- Pharmaceutical production: the vaccines are then manufactured on the pharmaceutical production line, through formulation, filling, freeze-drying, packaging, batch release and transport.
70% of the process is devoted to quality and safety controls. These tests are carried out both by the manufacturer and by the independent national authority, to verify the quality, efficacy and safety of the vaccine. Learn more about GMP-compliant vaccine manufacturing and quality control.
To obtain quality vaccines that comply with Good Manufacturing Practices, the choice of equipment must not be overlooked.
The Essential Stages of Vaccine Manufacturing
The manufacturing processes for vaccines differ from those for drugs, in particular because of the active substances they contain. The germ used may be live and attenuated (such as mumps, tuberculosis or measles), an inactive germ fraction (such as an inactivated vaccine) or a toxin. Vaccines can also be made from an animal cell or yeast to obtain the vaccine antigen.
However, all vaccines follow the same production steps: generation of the germ bank, culture and amplification, harvesting, purification and concentration, inactivation of the substance produced and manufacture of the antigenic valences. Each step has several sub-steps, which makes vaccine manufacturing long and complex.
Once the product has passed all validation steps, large-scale vaccine production begins, which requires specific dedicated equipment. MGA Technologies designs and manufactures innovative, custom production equipment for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, from upstream processing to automatic vial filling.
Automatic Egg Shelling and Harvesting Line for Flu Vaccine Production
We provide the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries with special machines for large-scale vaccine production. One example is our automatic shelling and harvesting line. This production unit is used to manufacture flu vaccines: it collects the primary liquid used to produce them. The machine removes the shells of embryonated eggs inoculated with the virus in order to collect the allantoic fluid. Along the line, trays of shelled eggs are carried by a conveyor to a harvesting carousel. The eggs are then placed in a harvesting box, which is turned over so that the allantoic fluid flows into a tank. The tank carries the allantoic fluid to a purification process downstream of the line. The harvesting box is then turned back over and the egg tray is sent to an incinerator.
All these operations performed by the vaccine manufacturing equipment take place in a confined environment, protected from any contamination.
MGA Technologies, Your Partner for the Industry of the Future
To optimize and increase the productivity of your pharmaceutical or biotechnology operations, trust MGA Technologies. We offer vaccine manufacturing equipment designed by our experts, and we have developed strong know-how in special machines for sterile pharmaceutical and biotechnology processes. Discover our other pharmaceutical industry equipment.
Technology, research and innovation are our passion. Always listening to your product and process constraints, MGA Technologies designs and manufactures your machines and equipment to support you on the way to the industry of the future. Constantly monitoring innovative mechatronic and digital technologies, our teams guide you in your choices to meet your needs. See also our custom primary packaging machines for the pharmaceutical industry.
Do you have any questions? Do not hesitate to contact us.
