Nanopatch vaccines in five years?

Pharmacy news reports on a research project which has developed the 'nanopatch' – a patch smaller than a postage stamp comprised of several thousands of densely packed projections that deliver a vaccine through the skin.

It uses 100 times less vaccine to elicit immune responses similar to those of traditional needle and syringe vaccinations. Its efficiency arises because it targets a layer just below the skin's surface that is rich with cells that generate a protective immune response.

This could have huge implications for the future of healthcare, particularly in developing nations. The lead author of the research paper, Mark Kendall from the University of Queensland, says "Because the Nanopatch requires neither a trained practitioner to administer it nor refrigeration, it has enormous potential to cheaply deliver vaccines in developing nations....and the fact that we don't need to refrigerate it has huge implications — it's estimated that half the vaccines used in Africa are unsafe due to poor refrigeration."

The research team's next step is to conduct human clinical trials, and if all goes to plan apparently the patch could be on the market within five years.

See the full journal article at PloS ONE