Self-Administered, Painless Flu Vaccine Patch - Success in First Human Clinical Trial
Despite the recommendation of universal flu vaccination, influenza continues to be a major cause of illness leading to mortality. Georgia Tech researchers believe a new self-administered, painless vaccine skin patch containing microscopic needles could significantly increase the number of people who get vaccinated for the flu. A phase I clinical trial conducted by Emory University in collaboration with the Georgia Tech researchers has found that influenza vaccination using Band-Aid-like patches with dissolvable microneedles was safe and well-tolerated by study participants, was just as effective in generating immunity against influenza, and was strongly preferred by study participants over vaccination with a hypodermic needle and syringe. The microneedle patch vaccine could also save money because it is easily self-administered, could be transported and stored without refrigeration, and is easily disposed of after use without sharps waste.
Transcript
00:00:03 in the US only 40% of adults get the flu shot having an option of a flu vaccine that could be self administered uh could and well tolerated uh could very much uh increase coverage of this important vaccine in the population so this is the first time that we've been able to put a micron needle patch into a person give a vaccine and find out what happens a micronal patch to a person using it
00:00:31 looks a lot like a Band-Aid or a nicotine patch but if you zoom in under the microscope what you'll see is that there are some microscopically small needles they puncture painlessly into the skin they dissolve encapsulated with in those micro needles is the vaccine which is then released into the skin after a few minutes we compared the immune response of of a regular
00:00:54 injection to that associated with the micronal patch and they were similar to each other the micronal patch may even be a little bit better in the clinical trial that we conducted one group of people used the patches on themselves and and they did so successfully we could never have developed the Micron needle patch at Georgia Tech in isolation we know the technology but we
00:01:17 don't know vaccines so it's really critical that our collaborators at Emery who do know vaccines so well have been able to work with us and work at this interface of technology and vaccination this collaboration is a good illustration on how emor and Georgia Tech collaborate well together Georgia Tech providing the expertise from a manufacturing perspective and Emory
00:01:38 providing expertise in conducting clinical trials in that case our vision for this really is that someday we hope in the near future people will be able to go to the store pick up patches for themselves and the family bring them home put them on and as a result it will be much more accessible for people to get the vaccine I am terrible and I don't get flu vaccinations as often as I
00:02:00 should and I think it's based on convenience I don't have the time to go stand in the line or take out of my day but if it was something I could just you know click pop on home while I'm you know watching TV or something let it sit there for the 20 minutes it's just very convenient I would definitely do it