Mark Kendall: Demo: A needle-free vaccine patch that's safer and way cheaper

TL;DR

In this talk, the speaker discusses the drawbacks of the needle and syringe and introduces the Nanopatch as a potential solution to improve vaccine delivery.

Transcript

It's a pleasure to be here in Edinburgh, Scotland, the birthplace of the needle and syringe. Less than a mile from here in this direction, in 1853 a Scotsman filed his very first patent on the needle and syringe. His name was Alexander Wood, and it was at the Royal College of Physicians. This is the patent. What blows my mind when I look at it even... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧪 Needle and syringe technology has been around for 160 years and is used to deliver most vaccines, but it has shortcomings such as needle phobia and needlestick injuries.
• 🌡️ The Nanopatch is a new technology that aims to address these shortcomings by delivering vaccines through tiny projections on a small square patch.
• 💉 The Nanopatch targets the skin's immune system, potentially improving immune responses compared to traditional needle delivery methods.
• 🌍 The Nanopatch could have a significant impact in developing countries, where refrigeration requirements for vaccines are challenging to meet.
• 🔬 In lab tests, the Nanopatch showed a different immunogenicity curve compared to needles, suggesting it could make vaccines more effective and allow for lower doses.
• 💲 By reducing the dosage required for vaccine effectiveness, the Nanopatch has the potential to make vaccines more affordable and accessible in developing regions.
• 💉 The Nanopatch has been tested with influenza vaccines, but it could also have implications for vaccines against diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.
• 🌡️ The Nanopatch's dry vaccine delivery system eliminates the need for the cold chain, reducing the likelihood of vaccine spoilage and improving access in resource-poor settings.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some shortcomings of the needle and syringe in vaccine delivery?

Some shortcomings of the needle and syringe in vaccine delivery include a dislike for needles, needle phobia in 20% of the population, needlestick injuries causing about 1.3 million deaths per year, and potential limitations in immune responses and cold chain maintenance.

Q: What is the Nanopatch and how is it different from the needle and syringe?

The Nanopatch is a technology developed by a team at the University of Queensland in Australia. It is a small square with thousands of invisible projections that work with the skin's immune system. Unlike the needle and syringe, the Nanopatch is needle-free and can help alleviate needle phobia.

Q: How does the Nanopatch improve immune responses in vaccine delivery?

The Nanopatch targets immune cells within the skin in a way that the needle cannot. By meeting the skin's immune sweet spot, the Nanopatch allows for improved immune responses in vaccine delivery. This has been demonstrated through experiments with influenza vaccines, where the Nanopatch achieved a significantly different immunogenicity curve compared to the needle.

Q: How does the Nanopatch address the issue of the cold chain in vaccine storage?

The Nanopatch's vaccine is in a dry form, eliminating the need for refrigeration. Unlike liquid vaccines used with the needle and syringe, the Nanopatch's dry vaccine can be stored at room temperature without any loss in activity for over a year. This removes the logistical challenges of maintaining the cold chain, especially in resource-poor settings, where many vaccines may not work properly due to temperature fluctuations.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The needle and syringe, a 160-year-old technology, is widely used for vaccine delivery despite its shortcomings and drawbacks such as needle phobia and needlestick injuries.

• The Nanopatch is a new technology that aims to address these issues by being needle-free, pain-free, and eliminating the need for refrigeration, while also improving immune responses.

• The Nanopatch has shown promising results in animal studies and has the potential to revolutionize vaccine delivery, making vaccines more accessible, affordable, and effective.