Vaxxas, a Woolloongabba-based biotechnology company is working on developing new technology that could potentially deliver a needle-free skin patch for vaccine delivery by 2026.
With this, an exciting potential world-first vaccine innovation has emerged which could potentially replace the need for needles entirely.
The biotech company is in the process of developing the technology which involves using a patch with thousands of vaccine-coated micro projections that creates a surface similar to sandpaper.
Promising human clinical studies are currently underway. If successful, the potential benefits could forever change the way vaccines are administered.
The technology offers a simplified approach to vaccine administration and eliminates the need for cold chain storage. This breakthrough innovation could significantly lower distribution costs and make vaccinations more accessible, particularly during pandemics.
Vaxxas’ President and CEO, David Hoey, said the technology could have a revolutionary benefit in lower and middle-income countries, where vaccines could be administered without the need for refrigeration, and a skilled health worker could avoid going to difficult-to-reach areas.
Additionally, this work could help extend the reach of vaccines into areas where resources and logistics are limited, which is essential for disease eradication, where widespread vaccination is necessary.
He likewise highlighted the significant public health benefits that this innovative patch technology could bring to high-income countries.
The technology produces a faster and higher immune response, and even a smaller amount of vaccine on the patch could achieve comparable results.
He said he believes that this could be an appealing prospect for vaccine manufacturers and patients alike, and in the future, all vaccines could be administered through skin patches.
In February 2023, the University of Queensland (UQ) was granted Federal funding to work alongside Vaxxas in advancing the development and clinical testing of the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine delivered via a needle-free skin patch.
The technology’s potential to revolutionize vaccine administration and delivery could have far-reaching implications for global public health.
Provided that the trials are successful, Vaxxas may commence manufacturing by 2026.
Published 13-April-2023