Batavia Biosciences, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has pioneered a novel upstream bioprocessing method to enhance regional polio vaccine production. This advancement leverages the HIP-Vax platform using a novel fixed-bed bioreactor technology to streamline vaccine manufacturing while reducing biosafety risks and lowering production footprint.

Polio vaccine production presents unique challenges. Current manufacturing methods often struggle with scalability and cost-efficiency, limiting equitable vaccine access. In response, Batavia Biosciences developed a platform (HIP-Vax) that integrates a unique structured fixed-bed bioreactor with tangential flow filtration (TFF), significantly improving production efficiency while maintaining high yields. Polio served as an initial proof of concept to demonstrate that the platform technology can be used for a broad range of vaccines, including inactivated vaccines, in the context of pandemic preparedness.

Ahd Hamidi, Strategic Partnership Director at Batavia Biosciences and first author of the study, said, “Innovation and access to technology are key to achieving true vaccine equity. By facilitating a sufficient supply of polio vaccines, we provide the essential tools needed to eradicate polio and make life-saving vaccines accessible to all, regardless of geography or economic status.”

The newly developed process optimizes the cultivation of Sabin poliovirus strains in a contained micro-facility, offering a cost-effective and flexible manufacturing solution. The use of scale-X bioreactor technology, from Univercells Technologies ensures efficient virus production while minimizing resource consumption, making it an ideal approach for both endemic and pandemic preparedness.

This project, funded by the Gates Foundation, underscores the global effort to eradicate polio and improve vaccine accessibility in regions that need it most.