[ad_1]
Scientists have developed a three-dimensional (3D) printed vaccine patch that offers better protection than a typical vaccination vaccine.
The team at Stanford University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in the United States applied the vaccine patch directly to the skin of animals, which is full of immune cells targeted by the vaccines.
The resulting immune response of the patch was 10 times greater than that of the vaccine delivered into an arm muscle with a needle, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The technique uses 3D printed microneedles lined up on a polymer patch and barely long enough to reach the skin to deliver the vaccine.
“By developing this technology, we hope to lay the groundwork for even faster global vaccine development, at lower doses, without pain or anxiety,” said lead study author Joseph M DeSimone, professor. at Stanford University.
The ease and effectiveness of the new vaccine could lead to a new way of delivering vaccines that are painless, less invasive than injection with a needle, and can be self-administered.
The results of the study show that the vaccine patch generated a significant antibody response specific to T lymphocytes and to the antigen which was far superior to an injection administered under the skin.
This heightened immune response could save vaccine doses because a micro-needle vaccine patch uses a smaller dose to generate an immune response similar to that of a vaccine given with a needle, the researchers said.
“Our approach allows us to 3D print microneedles directly, giving us a lot of design latitude to make the best microneedles from a performance and cost perspective,” said lead author of study, Shaomin Tian, researcher at UNC School of Medicine.
The study overcomes some past challenges – thanks to 3D printing, micro-needles can be easily customized to develop various vaccine patches against influenza, measles, hepatitis or Covid-19 vaccines.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a stark reminder of the difference made with a timely vaccination. However, getting the vaccine usually requires a visit to a clinic or hospital.
The researchers said there are issues that can hinder mass vaccination – from cold storage of vaccines to the need for trained professionals who can administer the vaccines.
The vaccine patches, which incorporate vaccine-coated microneedles that dissolve in the skin, could be shipped anywhere in the world without special handling and people can apply the patch themselves, they said.
The ease of use of a vaccine patch can also lead to higher vaccination rates, according to the researchers.
The team is currently formulating RNA vaccines, such as the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines, in microneedle patches for future testing.
Watch the latest DH videos here:
[ad_2]
Source link