3D printed vaccine patch offers better protection than a typical vaccine

Scientists at Stanford University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have created a 3D printed vaccine patch that offers better protection than a typical vaccine.

The trick is to apply the vaccine patch directly to the skin, which is full of immune cells targeted by the vaccines.

The resulting immune response of the vaccine patch was 10 times greater than that of the vaccine given into an arm muscle with a needle stick, according to an animal study published by the team of scientists at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The 3D printed micro-needles lined up on a polymer patch and barely long enough to reach the skin to deliver the vaccines are considered a breakthrough.

“By developing this technology, we hope to lay the groundwork for even faster global vaccine development, at lower doses, without pain or anxiety,” said Joseph M. DeSimone, lead author of the study and entrepreneur. 3D printing technology. , professor of translational medicine and chemical engineering at Stanford University and professor emeritus at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The ease and effectiveness of a vaccine patch has paved the way for a new way to deliver vaccines that are painless, less invasive than injection with a needle, and can be self-administered.

Study results show that the vaccine patch generated a significant T cell and antigen specific antibody response that was 50 times greater than a subcutaneous injection administered under the skin.

This enhanced immune response could lead to dose savings, with a micro-needle vaccine patch using a lower dose to generate an immune response similar to that of a vaccine given with a needle and syringe.

While microneedle patches have been studied for decades, the work of Carolina and Stanford overcomes some past challenges: Through 3D printing, microneedles can be easily customized to develop various vaccine patches for influenza, measles. , hepatitis, or COVID-19 vaccines.

Benefits of the vaccine patch

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stark reminder of the difference made with a timely vaccination. But getting vaccinated usually requires a visit to a clinic or hospital.

There, a health care provider gets a vaccine from a refrigerator or freezer, fills a syringe with the liquid vaccine formulation, and injects it into the arm.

While this process seems straightforward, there are issues that can hinder mass vaccination – from cold storage of vaccines to the need for trained professionals who can administer the vaccines.

Meanwhile, the vaccine patches, which incorporate vaccine-coated micro-needles that dissolve in the skin, could be shipped anywhere in the world without special handling and people can apply the patch themselves.

Additionally, the ease of use of a vaccine patch can lead to higher vaccination rates.

How are the patches made

It is usually a challenge to adapt microneedles to different types of vaccines, said lead author of the study Shaomin Tian, ​​a researcher in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the UNC School of Medicine.

“These problems, coupled with manufacturing challenges, have arguably held back the field of microneedles for vaccine delivery,” she said.

Most micro-needle vaccines are made with master models to make molds. However, microneedle molding is not very versatile and the drawbacks include reduced needle sharpness during replication.

Our approach allows us to 3D print microneedles directly, giving us great design latitude to manufacture the best microneedles from a performance and cost perspective. “

Shaomin Tian, ​​Research Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of North Carolina

The microneedle patches were 3D printed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill using a CLIP 3D printer prototype invented by DeSimone and produced by CARBON, a Silicon Valley company that ‘he co-founded.

The team of microbiologists and chemical engineers continues to innovate by formulating RNA vaccines, such as the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, into microneedle patches for future testing.

“One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned during the pandemic is that scientific and technological innovation can make or break a global response,” DeSimone said. “Fortunately, we have biotech and healthcare workers pushing the boundaries for all of us.”