Advances in Vaccine Production Technology are Hitting the U.S. Market: Will You Be Left Behind…?
John Henry Boshart
Director of U.S. Business Development at Vbiosci
2025.07.20
It's increasingly recognized that the transition from traditional animal serum-based vaccine production to serum-free technologies is a vital step forward in animal health. Here's a breakdown of the key reasons you should be looking at the technology behind what you’re offering your customers and their patients:
Benefits of Serum-Free Vaccine Technology:
Enhanced Safety
Traditional vaccines often utilize animal serum, which carries the risk of contamination by advantageous agents like viruses and prions.1 Serum-free production eliminates this risk, leading to safer vaccines.2 As stated in information provided by Bio-Techne, "Reduce the risk of potential viral contaminants that may be present in the serum."3
As stated in the information from PR Newswire, regarding AIM Vaccines rabies vaccine, "The residual animal serum in vaccine products is one of the significant factors leading to adverse reactions, such as allergies, in vaccinated populations.4 The serum-free iterative rabies vaccine developed by the company does not contain animal serum, significantly improving safety and reducing the likelihood of adverse reactions."5, 6
Improved Consistency and Efficacy
Animal serum is a complex and variable substance, leading to inconsistencies in vaccine batches.7 Serum-free media provide a more defined and controlled environment, resulting in more consistent and predictable vaccine performance.8
According to information provided by Creative Biolabs, "The use of serum-free suspension culture brings many advantages including: Batch to batch uniformity; Consistency in prices; Freedom from concern regarding mycoplasma and other contaminants; Simplified product purification and downstream processing."
Cost-Effectiveness
While the initial investment in serum-free technology may be higher, it can lead to long-term cost savings by reducing batch failures, simplifying purification processes, and minimizing the need for extensive quality control testing.10
Companies are coming to the forefront who are able to reduce the cost of entry and offer scalable production options at more cost-effective price-points. U.S. Director of Business Development for VBIOSCI states that company is able to provide quickly and affordable options for producing serum-free vaccines, as well as autogenous vaccines to quickly address the individual needs of farms and herds.
Reduced Adverse Reactions
Eliminating animal serum reduces the risk of allergic reactions and other adverse events in vaccinated animals.11
The conversation has strayed from the effectiveness of vaccines to the expectation or mitigation of reactions. This issue has not been addressed until the recent development of serum-free vaccines. Most companies still offer vaccines built on old, animal-serum based technology. Even advancements in vaccine development (chimeric vaccines, for example), are still cultured in animal protein based serums and, while they have attempted to address effectiveness and protection, they have not done much at all to address the incidence of reactions from the use of animal serums.
Ethical Considerations
Serum-free production reduces the reliance on animal-derived products, aligning with growing ethical concerns about animal welfare.
Key Considerations:
The transition to serum-free production may require significant adjustments to manufacturing processes.12
To address this, look for companies like VBIOSCI or Touchlight (who has entered into a production agreement with CEVA Animal Health) who have offerings for serum-free technology. VBIOSCI also has the capability to produce autogenous vaccines “on demand” to protect farms and herds when commercially available vaccines don't exist to address their concerns and threats to the health of their herds and flocks.
Careful validation and quality control are essential to ensure the safety and efficacy of serum-free vaccines.
Look to partner with companies which already have approved manufacturing processes like GMP.
In conclusion, the shift towards serum-free vaccine technology represents a significant advancement in animal health. This technology offers numerous advantages, including improved safety, consistency, and cost-effectiveness, paving the way for a more sustainable and ethical approach to vaccine production.