The initial alum-adjuvanted RiVax vaccine generated antibodies that degraded very quickly. By using Soligenix’s proprietary technology, ThermoVax, a thermostabilized version of RiVax was produced so it can be stored for long periods of time (i.e., 12 months) even at elevated temperatures (e.g., 40°C or 104°F). The thermostabilized version of RiVax is produced by lyophilizing (freeze-drying) the vaccine in individual vials to form a solid white cake. This removes water and other components from the material which would otherwise destabilize the protein. By using a proprietary process, the protein-aluminum combination remains intact.