PNAS introduces vaccination without injection: 3D printed vaccine patch

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Stanford University use 3D printers to produce microneedle vaccine patches, which can dissolve in the skin and improve immunity

Stanford University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a microneedle vaccine patch that is more effective than acupuncture to improve immunity

Scientists at Stanford University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have invented a 3D-printed vaccine patch that provides greater protection than ordinary vaccine injections

The trick is to put the vaccine patch directly on the skin, because the skin is full of immune cells targeted by the vaccine

According to a study conducted in animals, the immune response generated by the vaccine patch is 10 times greater than that of a vaccine that uses a needle to penetrate the arm muscle.

The 3D printed microneedles arranged on the polymer patch are considered a breakthrough, and their length is only long enough to reach the skin to inject the vaccine

"In the process of developing this technology, we hope to lay the foundation for faster global vaccine development, with lower doses, in a way that is free of pain and anxiety," Stanford University Professor of Translational Medicine and Chemical Engineering, North Carolina Said Joseph M.

The convenience and effectiveness of the vaccine patch laid the foundation for a new vaccination method that is more painless and less invasive than needle injection, and can be self-injected

The results of the study showed that the vaccine patch produced a significant T-cell and antigen-specific antibody response, which was 50 times greater than the antibody response of subcutaneous injection

This enhanced immune response may result in dose savings.

Although microneedle patches have been studied for decades, the work of the University of Carolina and Stanford University has overcome some of the past challenges: through 3D printing, microneedles can be easily customized to develop various flu, measles, and hepatitis Or COVID-19 vaccine patch

Advantages of vaccine patches

The COVID-19 pandemic is a clear reminder of the difference that timely vaccination makes

There, medical service providers get the vaccine from the refrigerator or freezer, inject the liquid vaccine formula into the syringe, and inject it into the arm

Although the process seems simple, there are still problems that hinder large-scale vaccination—from the refrigeration of vaccines to the need for trained professionals to perform injections

At the same time, vaccine patches, including vaccine-coated microneedles, are dissolved in the skin and can be transported to any place in the world.

In addition, the ease of use of the vaccine patch may lead to higher vaccination rates

How are microneedles made

The lead author of the study, Tian Shaomin, a researcher in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, said that in general, applying microneedles to different types of vaccines is a challenge
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She said: "These problems, coupled with manufacturing challenges, can be said to hinder the development of the microneedle field for vaccine delivery
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Most microneedle vaccines use master templates to make molds
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However, the molding of microneedles is not very versatile, and the disadvantages include reduced needle sharpness during the copying process
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Tian said: "Our method allows us to directly 3D print microneedles, which gives us a lot of freedom in design and can make the best microneedles from the perspective of performance and cost
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These microneedles were produced at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, using the CLIP prototype 3D printer invented by De Simon, produced by the Silicon Valley company CARBON he co-founded
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Teams of microbiologists and chemical engineers are continuing to innovate, making RNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines into microneedle patches for future testing
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De Simon said: “One of the biggest lessons we learned during the epidemic is that technological innovation can contribute to or undermine global response measures
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” “Fortunately, we have biotech and health care workers pushing the limits for all of us
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"

Original search:

“Transdermal vaccination via 3D-printed microneedles induces potent humoral and cellular immunity” by Cassie Caudill, Jillian L.
Perry, Kimon Iliadis, Addis T.
Tessema, Brian J.
Lee, Beverly S.
Mecham, Shaomin Tian and Joseph M.
DeSimone, 22 September 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

DOI: 10.
1073/pnas.
2102595118