A microneedle patch for measles and rubella vaccination: a game changer for achieving elimination

Abstract

While morbidity and mortality associated with measles and rubella (MR) have dramatically decreased, there are still >100 000 estimated deaths due to measles and an estimated 100 000 infants born with congenital rubella syndrome annually. Given highly effective MR vaccines, the primary barrier to global elimination of these diseases is low vaccination coverage, especially among the most underserved populations in resource-limited settings. In contrast to conventional MR vaccination by hypodermic injection, microneedle patches are being developed to enable MR vaccination by minimally trained personnel. Simplified supply chain, reduced need for cold chain storage, elimination of vaccine reconstitution, no sharps waste, reduced vaccine wastage, and reduced total system cost of vaccination are advantages of this approach. Preclinical work to develop a MR vaccine patch has proceeded through successful immunization studies in rodents and non-human primates. On-going programs seek to make MR vaccine patches available to support MR elimination efforts around the world.

Microneedles: A New Generation Vaccine Delivery System

“…A sustained release of antigens is desirable as it ensures that the APCs identify and take up the antigens over a long period of time to ensure a robust adaptive immune response. Additionally, microneedles reduce needle-stick injuries, requiring a medical professional and biohazardous waste [ 24 ].…”

The Science is There: Key Considerations for Stabilizing Viral Vector-Based Covid-19 Vaccines

“…For example, live measles and rubella combination vaccines have been evaluated in such systems in preclinical models with planned clinical trials to be initiated. 22 What Can We Learn From Formulating Replication Deficient Viral Vector Vaccines?…”

Microarray patches enable the development of skin-targeted vaccines against COVID-19

“…4 ). In addition to this mechanistic advantage, MAPs offer advantages in terms of practicality and convenience (simple and painless application and the potential for self-application), logistics (thermostable and no need for reconstitution for certain MAPs), safety (no biohazardous sharp waste generation for certain MAPs, avoiding the potential risk of disease transmission), and cost (inexpensive to manufacture and distribute or dose-sparing), which, combined with consistent skin-targeted delivery and immunogenicity benefits, render MAPs attractive for global vaccination programs [ [42] , [43] , [44] , [213] , [214] , [215] ]. Due to these advantages, there has been great interest in the development of several types of MAPs, and in functional testing of MAPs for numerous vaccine candidates [ [207] , [208] , [209] ].…”

“…These promising clinical safety, immunogenicity, and acceptability findings with dissolvable MAP influenza vaccines support further development of dissolving MAPs with advanced human studies powered or designed to reliably evaluate the immunogenicity of MAP-delivered vaccines and clinical testing of dissolvable MAP vaccines for other emerging infectious pathogens. Indeed, with encouraging data from comprehensive pre-clinical evaluation of measles and rubella (MR) vaccine-loaded dissolvable MAPs, an early-phase clinical trial with an MAP MR vaccine is expected to start soon [ 214 ].…”

“…To successfully bring MAP vaccines to market, detailed cost and return on investment analyses of MAP vaccines must be undertaken, with consideration of costs related to development and implementation of standard large-scale fabrication, quality control, sterilization, batch release, storage, distribution, application, and disposal processes. Initial cost analysis with MAP vaccines indicates that certain types of MAP-based vaccines, without the need for an applicator device, would be more cost-effective than existing vaccines, especially when the cost reductions resulting from self-application without the need for medical expertise, shelf-stability without refrigeration, no generation of biohazardous sharp waste, and more efficient usage of vaccine components are considered [ 214 , 388 ].…”