Our Story

The world is currently facing major problems such as increasing levels of pollution, the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, and an ever-rising cost of healthcare.  FruitVaccine arose in Champaign, Illinois (USA) to combat these issues in a natural and sustainable way with our customer-friendly and environmentally safe vaccines as an ideal solution.  We develop orally-administered fruit-based vaccines against globally problematic infectious diseases, such as those caused by human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV).  Our fruit-based vaccine products, shown in the ‘Our Innovations’ page, focus on solving the problems listed above as well as providing a simpler, affordable and more enjoyable healthcare experience for everyone.  The brilliant minds of the FruitVaccine Team, led by founder Dr. Indu Rupassara, have pioneered this biotechnological innovation to transform the way we get immunized.  We believe that it will only be a few short years before we see these forms of vaccines in widespread use around the world.
​​
hRSV causes infectious disease affecting all humans, especially infants, the elderly, and immuno-suppressed individuals due to their weakened respiratory systems, infecting over 64 million people each year globally and resulting in over 160,000 deaths annually. No preventive vaccines against hRSV are currently available in the market, and no fruit-based vaccine against any disease exists.  FruitVaccine has recognized this dire need for preventive vaccines against hRSV, and has been able to use transgenic technology to introduce cherry tomatoes with the vaccine, which can be easily administered to any patient.  Our initial project is the development of a fruit-based vaccine against hRSV.  This desease commonly affects children under 2 years of age, and the parents/adults can be carriers infecting the weaker individuals stated above.  hRSV is often misdiagnosed and treated incorrectly as the common flu since it shares many of the same symptoms.  When available, our vaccine can be easily administered as part of a routine physical for children and infants, just like a number of other vaccines. At FruitVaccine Inc., our goal is to uplift the health and well-being of the global population with safe, affordable, and natural immunizations against infectious respiratory diseases.

We are proud to have been recognized by local and international organizations for our breakthroughs in the field. In late 2020, FruitVaccine was awarded a research grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnership. Furthermore, we have been selected for the All-SBIR NSF-iCorp program taking place in Fall, 2021. We are so excited to be recognized for our research and will use the funds to bring our products closer to the market. 

---

Our Mission
We develop natural, orally-administered vaccines with the health of our patients put first.

​Our Vision
We seek to revolutionize the vaccine industry to become more accessible, sustainable, and pain-free than ever before.

Our Values
​We stand to disrupt the inequity present in the pharma industry and ensure that everyone around the world can access and afford our life-saving vaccines.

Our Culture
We foster a connected and collaborative environment and maintain that throughout our business as we grow.

Better Products, Healthier World

Locally Grown Products
​We work in local, climate-controlled greenhouses to grow the safest and healthiest fruit possible. No preservatives or additives are used when turning our fruits into vaccines.

A More Sustainable World
Since we use natural foods as our primary ingredient, we avoid the massive amounts of disposables due to single-use plastic, packaging, and metal waste produced by needle-based vaccines​. ​

Pain-Free Administration
​Our products range from fruit-based oral drops for infants to dried fruit pills, so there is no longer a need for needles or syringes. 
Learn More​

 Making Headlines

National Science Foundation

The News Gazette

Smile Politely

Wired In

Central Illinois Business

The Daily Illini