The researchers from Swansea University have tested a revolutionary product that involved using vaccine patches based on micro-needling practice. This concept of vaccine patches is based on urgency to find a permanent cure for COVID-19 with ease of usage.
This research was conducted by a top British company named Innoture and this idea was to develop a stick-on patch that is actually a vaccine. With this new product development, Innoture has set a milestone and authentication to start transdermal vaccine patches for other diseases as well.
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This new way to use a vaccine will make a huge difference in terms of public health and disease prevention. In many parts of the world, the religious, ethnic, and racial barriers become a hurdle in the availability of adequate healthcare. Vaccines despite being introduced for so long are still hard to get, hard to use, and face social pressure due to lack of awareness.
The joint collaboration of the R&D department of Innoture, Institute of Life Sciences, and Centre for Nanohealth, Swansea University started in 2012. It was working to find out a better and safer alternative of the traditional vaccines which could be scary for people, especially children. The fear of needles could cause many of them to deprived of a vaccine which puts their health at risk of certain diseases. So the microneedles that are tiny, almost painless needles could become the better version of conventional injections.
The microneedles mean several tiny needles that deliver the medicine or vaccine to the skin without causing any pain. The transdermal patches such as nicotine patches are a huge success especially for people struggling to quit smoking.
Testing the efficacy of a vaccine particularly the COVID-19 vaccine through a transdermal skin patch will be the easiest way to save the life of millions of people. these patches are so simple and easy that they can be used at home, without requiring a doctor’s supervision.
Dr. Michael Graz is the Chief Scientific Officer at Innoture. He says that his company has always worked on tiny designs that are least invasive and more effective. Innoture plans to modify the design of these patches to maximize the benefits of these vaccine patches.
Considering the current scenario of coronavirus cases, the vaccine manufacturers are under huge pressure to develop an effective vaccine for COVID-19. This dire need for the up-gradation of the vaccination program has affected the production of supplementary materials i.e. needles, injections, etc. So these new transdermal vaccine patches could help to balance this inequality of production and to meet the needs of people.
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The vaccine delivery using a transdermal patch will improve the patient’s experience and reduce the overall disease risk for a population. It will also reduce the burden on NHS and other official bodies for conducting vaccination programs. The patches can be self-administered without going to a hospital.
Welsh Government has awarded this research with a generous £200,000. The concept of minimally invasive and super-useful skin patches for vaccine delivery is revolutionary and it may change the fate of vaccination programs in the future. Innoture plans to work extensively on supporting this exciting new product.
