Could Microneedle Patches Replace Traditional Vaccines?
Administering flu vaccines via microneedle patches that dissolve in the skin induces greater immunity than standard injections, and may come to replace injections in the future, according to new research.
While standard subcutaneous injections are effective, they require medical personnel to administer and can be painful or uncomfortable.
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In order toe develop a method of vaccination that does not require technical skills to administer or cold storage during transportation, researchers from the Osaka University in Japan created a microneedle patch, known as MicroHyala.
The patch’s microneedles, constructed of hyaluronic acid, dissolve into the skin and carry the vaccine within them into the blood stream.
Researchers tested the efficacy of their patch against traditional needle vaccination in a study involving 2 groups: 1 was given the patch containing vaccines for influenza A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B, and the other was given traditional flu vaccines.
Overall, researchers found that immune reaction among those given the microneedle patch were similar or greater than those given traditional vaccination. No adverse events were reported in either group.
“Influenza vaccination using [MicroHyala] is promising for practical use as an easy and effective method to replace conventional injections systems,” they concluded.
—Michael Potts
Reference:
Hirobe S, Azukizawa H, Hanafusa T, et al. Clinical study and stability assessment of a novel transcutaneous influenza vaccination using a dissolving microneedle patch. Biomaterials. 2015;57:50-58