With vaccines being the most powerful weapon for battling the COVID – 19 pandemic, the need of the hour is to ensure that not a single vaccine goes to waste. While vaccines are stored in appropriate conditions during air transportation in deep freezer storage, the system lacks when it comes to last-mile delivery.
Traditionally transported in iceboxes, the optimal temperature required to store them is lost, rendering the vaccines inefficacious. This leads to large-scale vaccine wastage and according to the Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU), the percentage of vaccine wastage is 25 per cent due to lack of cold-chain technology. This is where Manipal-based startup Blackfrog Technologies Pvt. Ltd steps in. With their home-grown device, Emvolio, which is a medical-grade refrigeration system for the last mile-delivery of biologicals such as vaccines, blood, cultures, etc., the startup strives to remedy the grave situation. The device maintains a strict site temperature and has a cold life of 12 hours, which makes it incredibly beneficial for vaccine transportation.
“Vaccines are freeze-sensitive and have to be maintained at a temperature between 2 to 8 degree Celsius without which they lose potency.,” said Mayur Shetty, CEO and Founder of Blackfrog Technologies. The two main vaccines being administered in the country right now are Covidshield and Covaxin and fall under the same category. “In a regular scenario, the government loses $7.5 million to vaccine wastage. Considering the extraordinary situation we are facing now, it goes without doubt that the number is much higher now. From initial data, we can see that the vaccines lose efficacy easily and cannot be brought back from the vaccination camps,” he added.
The device steps in and does what iceboxes, gel packs and other rudimentary vaccine transportation mechanisms can’t do. The ergonomic design enables it to be easily carried around like a backpack and can hold 30 – 50 vials. It is solar-powered and has several features such as live GPS device tracking, temperature control and vial status. The device also functions as a standalone refrigerator and can be plugged in and carried on the go. The device is backed by Venture Centre at National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune and NGOs such as Selco Foundation. It also has significant support from the Government of India. Emvolio is functional in five states and is crucial in areas with a lack of infrastructure such as the North-East. The device simplifies the vaccination process and enables vaccination drives in remote areas with minimal wastage.
Blackfrog Technologies manufactures the devices, indigenously. The startup currently has a capacity of 300 units a month but is ramping up the production to 1500 units a month to make sure the life-saving device reaches the corners of the country. The startup is currently an ISO 13485-certified medical devices manufacturer. Emvolio was in the making since late 2017 and was developed by 2019 for routine vaccines such as polio. By November 2020, once the COVID vaccine blueprint was known, they developed the device specifically for COVID-19 vaccine transportation.
“The response has been good so far. The protocol has been simplified and there is no requirement for conditioning the vaccine for 8 hours with the device,” said Mayur. Their primary customer is the government since immunisation is largely centralised. “One of the challenges that we face is having to navigate around governmental bodies and convincing them to ditch the elementary mechanisms that lead to a technological inertia,” said Mayur.
Talking about the patent process, Mayur said that acquiring the 3 patents for the device was a smooth process. “The Start-Up India initiative introduced in 2016 has streamlined the process and made it easier. The government offers subsidies and incentives and attorney fees for startups has been waived off, making it a hitch-free process,” he added.
Starting out as an engineering design and consultancy firm, Blackfrog transitioned to a product company for immunisation in 2017. “Our vision was to improve the immunisation supply chain and COVID was at the right time and right place to bring these issues to the forefront,” said Mayur.
