A new vaccine delivering “Nanopatch” has just been tested that may finally help put an end to polio. Developed by a scientist at Queensland University in Australia and commercialized by Vaxxas, a firm based in Sydney, the patch has microscopic needles projecting from its bottom that pass the vaccine directly to the antigen-presenting cells below the surface of the skin. This is a big advantage, as one doesn’t need to use a syringe and the vaccine is delivered more efficiently, requiring less of it.
The latest study has shown that the Nanopatch activates a powerful immune response in rats to the three inactivated polio virus vaccines in use. The patch is simply pSince a live vaccine is not required, the patch is immensely easier to handle and distribute in areas where polio is still being eradicated.
So far the technology has only been tested on animals, but trials on humans will almost certainly begin in the near future. Because it is easy and cheap to manufacture and uses dry powder vaccine that’s easy to transport, it may one day become a standard way for delivering not only polio vaccinations.
Flashback: Nanopatch May Represent the Future of Vaccine Delivery…
Open access study in Scientific Reports: High-density microprojection array delivery to rat skin of low doses of trivalent inactivated poliovirus vaccine elicits potent neutralising antibody responses…