Vaxxas NEEDLE-FREE VACCINE DEVICE now in market testing

The pain-free vaccine device is currently being tested for usability and acceptability with patients and clinicians, comparing cost-effectiveness with conventional vaccination

Vaxxas are working with University of Sydney to market test their needle-free vaccine delivery device, which could potentially eliminate needles and the need for cold chain vaccine storage, and disrupt the $30 billion vaccine delivery market.

The device - a Micro-projection Array Patch, or ‘MAP’ - is a one square-centimeter of biomedical polymer, smaller than a postage stamp, that is embedded with 5,000 vaccine-coated micro-projections that pass through the skin’s outer layer to deliver a vaccine directly to thousands of immune-rich cells in the skin. 

The device is currently being evaluated for usability and acceptibility with patients and clinicians, with cost-effectiveness being compared to conventional needles and cold-chain management. This research is being undertaken by Cristyn Davies and her University of Sydney colleagues, and also involves the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC)

“Delivering vaccines with this technology will be cheaper and easier than liquid vaccines delivered by needles because they don’t need to be refrigerated,” said Cristyn Davies from the University of Sydney.

“We are at an important stage of the product development process,” said Charles Ross, Head of Clinical Operations at Vaxxas. “Before investing in manufacturing the applicator at pilot scale, we want to be confident the device satisfies design, end-user and logistical requirements for its intended markets.”

“This research will give Vaxxas end-user and distribution information that de-risks and accelerates the path to market and identifies product and design parameters required for subsequent pilot scale manufacture in Australia”, said David Chuter, CEO and Managing Director at IMCRC.

Results from preclinical studies suggest that the 'MAP' device will not only enhance the immune response generated compared to the traditional delivery method but could also potentially do so at a fraction of a full vaccine dose. 

The Vaxxas MAP vaccine delivery system was invented at the University of Queensland and now is continuing development at the Translational Research Institute.

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Image: The Vaxxas Micro-projection Array Patch or 'MAP' vacccine delivery device, which is smaller than a postage stamp.