Vaxxas needle free vaccines have great potential – study

Needle free vaccine delivery company Vaxxas‘s skin patch system is an attractive alternative to vaccine delivery via injection, according to a new study.

Published in the journal Vaccine, the study said the company’s high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) (pictured) was particularly attractive in a pandemic.

Its’ use would alleviate the strain on healthcare systems by enabling vaccine administration by lesser-trained healthcare workers, guardians, or individuals themselves.

Brisbane-based Vaxxas’ HD-MAP targets delivery of vaccines to the dense populations of immune cells in the skin, that then transport the vaccine directly to the lymph nodes which are part of the immune system.

This potentially produced a more robust and dose-efficient immune response than vaccines injected into the muscle.

The study said HD-MAP, upon which vaccines are ‘printed’ and dried, also provides storage and distribution benefits due to reduced cold chain requirements generally associated with vaccines delivered by needle and syringe.

Vaxxas is advancing a pipeline of pre-clinical and clinical stage HD-MAP vaccine candidates with targets of Covid-19, seasonal and pandemic influenza, typhoid, measles and rubella, and cancer.

Vaxxas CEO David Hoey said: “Vaxxas is committed to the development and commercialisation of our novel HD-MAP platform, which could deliver significant benefits by enhancing immune response and protection, as well as simplifying distribution.

“Our HD-MAP platform has the potential to…dramatically improve pandemic and routine vaccination, accelerate vaccination rates, increase vaccine acceptance, and reduce costs and waste associated with needle and syringe vaccination.”

Further reading:
Vaxxas receives MMI grant for vaccine patch production
Browse @AuManufacturing’s coverage of Vaxxas here.

Picture: Vaxxas