Against the Omicron and Delta variants, the vaccine patch could be more effective than the classic puncture on the arm. The news – published in the magazine Vaccine – comes from a research conducted by the University of Queensland in collaboration with the Brisbane biotechnology company Vaxxas even if for now the experimentation has been done only on rodents. Specifically, the researchers found that the vaccine patch was about 11 times more effective at fighting the Omicron variant than the same vaccine administered via a needle.
Covid test, the patch arrives that replaces the swab
The experimentation
The researchers conducted the test on the Hexapro vaccine, a product, already undergoing clinical trials in the injectable formulation, based on a modified version of the viral protein Spike, which would make the preparation more stable and longer. In this trial, Hexapro was administered using Vaxxas high-density microarray technology.
More effective against variants
The results found that the patch was much more effective in neutralizing Covid-19 variants. In 2021, the Australian team of researchers had already published data demonstrating the preclinical efficacy of a vaccine against Sars-Cov-2 administered via HexaPro, a particular type of patch designed by the biotech company Vaxxas, of Brisbane.
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The accuracy of the patch
But why is a patch able to be more effective? “The patch that uses high-density microarray technology – he explains Christopher McMillan of the University of Queensland – is a mode of vaccine delivery that precisely delivers the active ingredient into layers of the skin rich in immune cells. “The high-density microarray patch, in fact, consists of a thin sheet of biocompatible polymer the size of of one square centimeter, covered about 3000 very small protrusions of 300 micrometers in length coated with a dried formulation of protein subunit vaccine against the spike protein of Sars-cov-2.
The patch reaches the immune cells of the skin
When the patch is applied to the skin, the protrusions distribute the vaccine into the epidermis and upper dermis, the outermost layers of the skin rich in immune cells. “During our experimentation – continues McMillan – we discovered that vaccination with the patch was about 11 times more effective in fighting the Omicron variant than the same vaccine administered through a needle”.
The effectiveness also with other vaccines and the advantages of the patch
The researchers also stated that these findings don’t just hold true for the Hexapro vaccine. “So far – the study reads – every type of vaccine we have tested through the patch, including those with DNA, the inactivated and conjugated virus, produces superior immune responses compared to traditional needle vaccination methods”. The patches, in addition to being more effective against emerging variants, are also much easier to administer than traditional injectable vaccines. In addition, they reduce pain and help overcome the fear of needles. Another advantage is that there is no need to maintain the cold chain or to resuspend the vaccine in solution and the possibility of self-vaccination.
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New tools against variants
The fact that the vaccines currently available are not as effective due to the new variants of Covid-19 that continue to emerge have also prompted the Queensland researchers to experiment with this mode of administration. “This reduced effectiveness – he explains David Muller of the University of Queensland – was highlighted by the Omicron variant, which contains over 30 mutations in the spike protein. The large number of mutations gave the virus the ability to evade the immune responses generated by current vaccines. However, patching technology has the potential to offer a new and more effective prevention weapon at a time when new variants are rapidly mutating. “
The potential of microarray technology
However, the researchers stress that it is important to reiterate that the vaccines currently available still represent an effective way to fight many serious diseases including Covid-19 against which it is not the time to let our guard down. Meanwhile, Vaxxas CEO David Hoey said this is further evidence of the revolutionary potential the ‘microarray’ technology platform could have in helping countries better respond to global health emergencies. “We are continuing to increase our manufacturing capabilities and accelerate product development to be able to conduct large-scale clinical trials,” he said. “We are building our first manufacturing facility in Brisbane to support the transition to commercialization of our high-density microarray-based vaccine candidates, including the Hexapro Covid-19 patch.”