Researchers unveil first-of-its-kind mass spectrometry technique to detect fake vaccines

New Delhi: Researchers at the University of Oxford have unveiled a method to combat the growing threat of counterfeit vaccines in global supply chains. Using mass spectrometry combined with machine learning, this first-of-its-kind technique can distinguish between authentic and falsified vaccines, offering a powerful tool for protecting public health. The findings were published in the Nature portfolio journal npj Vaccines.

As the world continues to rely on vaccines to maintain population health, the rise of substandard and counterfeit vaccines presents a serious danger. Fake vaccines not only fail to provide protection against diseases but can also lead to severe health consequences, eroding public confidence in immunization programs. Until now, no global infrastructure existed to screen vaccine supply chains for fakes effectively.

The new method repurposes clinical mass spectrometers, already in use in hospitals worldwide, to analyze the chemical composition of vaccines. By applying matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), researchers identified the molecular signatures of genuine vaccines, including those for influenza, hepatitis B, and meningococcal disease. These signatures were then analyzed using open-source machine learning algorithms, which were able to differentiate between real vaccines and counterfeit solutions like sodium chloride.

Professor James McCullagh, co-leader of the study and a professor of biological chemistry at the University of Oxford, said, “We are thrilled to see the method’s effectiveness and its potential for deployment into real-world vaccine authenticity screening. This is an important milestone for The Vaccine Identity Evaluation (VIE) consortium which focuses on the development and evaluation of innovative devices for detecting falsified and substandard vaccines, supported by multiple research partners including the World Health Organization (WHO), medicine regulatory authorities and vaccine manufacturers.”

Professor Nicole Zitzmann, another co-author and professor of virology at the University of Oxford, highlighted, “This latest research will bring the world community one step closer to being able to tell apart falsified, ineffective vaccines from the real thing, making us all safer. It has been a tremendous collaborative effort, with everyone having this same important goal in mind.”

The researchers believe that this proof-of-concept method could be scaled globally, particularly in hospital microbiology laboratories, to ensure the authenticity of vaccines worldwide. Professor Paul Newton, a professor of tropical medicine at Oxford, noted, “This innovative research provides compelling evidence that MALDI mass spectrometry techniques could be used in accessible systems for screening for vaccine falsification globally, especially in centres with hospital microbiology laboratories,  enhancing public health and confidence in vaccines.”

The research was conducted as part of the Vaccine Identity Evaluation (VIE) consortium, which focuses on developing innovative methods for detecting fake vaccines. It was funded by philanthropic donations, the Oak Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the WHO. Researchers from various departments at the University of Oxford collaborated on the project, alongside teams from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory of STFC at Harwell.