Vaccine preparation device developed to increase roll-out capacity

Bristol-based Indus Fusion is developing an automated vaccine preparation device for NHS COVID-19 vaccine clinics, with early trials indicating a 40% increase in roll-out capacity.

The Vaccine Preparation System (VPS) is designed to work in an aseptic environment, enabling multiple syringes to extract doses from vials automatically.

The technology improves the yield from each vaccine vial and frees up time for staff, allowing them to focus on administering injections and carrying out their primary care functions.

Indus Fusion developed a working prototype of its VPS within 100 days of consulting doctors on efficiency issues at vaccine clinics.

Dr Michael Pambos MA, MBBS, MRCGP, accountable officer of the NHS COVID Vaccination Programme, Sutton, says: “Working with Indus Fusion has been nothing short of outstanding.

“As we faced a global pandemic and the unfathomable task of vaccinating the world, we had to look at new innovative ways of doing things. Indus Fusion accepted our challenge, ‘How can we automate a thus far unautomatable task?’, and made it a reality.

“It has been a joy to work with the group of highly skilled engineers to see a prototype, develop it, refine it and, within a short timeframe, see a solution.”

Indus Fusion has now started to work with partners in South Korea to take the system to market.

The VPS project was supported by Innovate UK EDGE medtech specialist, Patrick Finnemore, who provided introductions to key industry figures and advice on the company’s growth trajectory.

Arthur Keeling, co-founder, Indus Fusion, said: “The introductions from Innovate UK EDGE have played an important role. They’ve also been able to help upskill the team in areas such as IP.

“As a start-up, you never know when you’re going to hit a new challenge and it’s very reassuring to have Innovate UK EDGE on hand, ready to provide specialist support in a wide variety of fields.” 

In June 2020, Indus Fusion secured a £75,000 grant from Innovate UK to work with NHS pathology labs to help automate their ‘goods-in’ systems.

Indus Fusion is working closely with the NHS England Transformation Teams for Pathology and a multinational pharmaceutical company to solve the problem of the preparation of samples for analysis.

Every sample needs to be individually removed, and checked, from its delivery packaging by hand. This is a highly labour intensive task, where operatives are at risk from occupational injuries such as Repetitive Strain Injuries. Indus Fusion is developing a solution to automatically extract and check the samples before loading them into the test machine.

The technology can benefit labs throughout the world and early discussions are already underway for how this might help developing nations.

Keeling added: “We founded Indus Fusion to bring together multiple technologies that have to work together if automation is to become more accessible for all companies. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, this project has provided a chance to test these ideas with the support from Innovate UK.”