Abstract
Introduction
Both my STS research project and technical capstone focus on improving influenza vaccine coverage in Latin America. From the start of the fall semester, I knew I wanted to design a biopharmaceutical manufacturing process for my capstone, as I am pursuing a career in that industry after graduation. My capstone group chose to design a manufacturing plant for a recombinant influenza vaccine because, while recombinant vaccine technology is well-established in the U.S., it remains relatively new and less accessible in Latin America. We decided to place our theoretical manufacturing plant in Brazil, one of the most industrialized countries in the area, to leverage its existing infrastructure and skilled workforce for efficient vaccine production. My STS project expands on my technical capstone by examining the broader social and systemic factors contributing to low influenza vaccination rates in Latin America. I specifically focused on Peru as a case study, given its consistently low vaccine coverage. By identifying underlying challenges, I aim to ensure that the vaccine produced by my group’s plant is implemented in a way that delivers real-world impact.
Technical Capstone
ImmunoVida is a recombinant quadrivalent influenza vaccine designed to provide broad protection against influenza A and B subtypes for individuals aged 18 and older. The manufacturing facility designed by my capstone team is capable of producing 90 million doses of Immunovida annually, operating during an 18-week primary production season. Production begins with the upstream process, where Sf9 insect cells are scaled up through a seed train and subsequently infected with baculovirus vectors to induce expression of the target influenza hemagglutinin antigen (HA)—the active component of the vaccine. The cell slurry containing the antigen then undergoes a downstream purification process, beginning with two centrifugation steps, followed by anion exchange chromatography, cation exchange chromatography, ultrafiltration, diafiltration, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, viral filtration, another diafiltration step, and finally formulation into the final drug substance, which is filled into single-dose glass vials. The proposed plant will produce nine batches per year, yielding 18.08 kg of HA annually. Economic analysis confirms strong financial viability of the facility. The total capital investment is estimated at $101.7 million, with annual operating costs of $129.3 million per year. Depending on market conditions, yearly revenue is projected between $315 million to $705 million. A 10-year financial projection across best, mid, and worst-case scenarios shows return of investment (ROI) ranging from 1026% to 3773%, confirming the profitability of the project and viability to investors.
STS Project
In my STS project, I argue that major vaccination programs in Peru function as sociotechnical systems that operate discordantly by overlooking the country’s cultural context that fuels misinformation, while also failing to optimize critical technological elements, such as distribution logistics and tracking platforms, for effective implementation. To construct my argument, I begin by reviewing the literature on the current landscape of influenza vaccines in Latin America, including an evaluation of the key organizations involved in vaccination efforts and their actions to date. My review reveals that much of the existing research focuses primarily on specific high-risk groups, rather than addressing broader public attitudes across the general population. For this reason, I broaden the scope of my analysis to consider historical factors that may have shaped public attitudes in Peru—even beyond the context of vaccination. After introducing the sociotechnical systems theoretical framework that guides my analysis, I begin by examining Peru’s political history through academic journal articles to illustrate how corruption has become deeply entrenched in its government. Then, I explore how this corruption has fostered widespread mistrust of vaccines, drawing on academic research that includes interviews with local populations. Subsequently, I analyze the shortcomings in vaccine distribution and tracking using news articles and information from specific organizations’ websites. Finally, I conclude with a discussion on how these organizations can reform themselves to achieve their full potential.
Reflection
Working on my STS project and technical capstone simultaneously strengthened both final products. When I first began my STS research, I assumed that the low vaccination rates in Latin America were primarily due to supply issues. However, I soon discovered that while the specific type of vaccine our theoretical plant would produce is not widely available, many other effective influenza vaccines are on the market, indicating that supply alone is not the issue. This realization shaped my approach for the rest of both projects. My technical capstone deepened my understanding of the various types of influenza vaccines and highlighted the advantages of recombinant technology, which in turn informed how I interpreted and contextualized the data I gathered for my STS project. Conversely, as I explored the social and political factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy through my STS project, I was prompted to reflect more critically on the broader societal impact of our proposed manufacturing plant. Although the facility is projected to be highly profitable, financial gains must be balanced with affordability to ensure the vaccine reaches all populations. This could involve prioritizing distribution through reformed public vaccination programs rather than focusing solely on private sales.
