A needle-free vaccine for avian influenza developed by an Australian biotech company is set for a Phase I clinical trial.

“Doherty Clinical Trials is calling on healthy volunteers to participate in a new Phase I clinical trial of a needle-free vaccine for avian influenza. The trial will assess the safety and tolerability of the influenza vaccine administered using the needle-free technology developed by Australian biotech company, Vaxxas,” the Doherty Institute wrote.

“Unlike traditional needle and syringe administration, which is injected into a muscle, Vaxxas’ High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP) technology delivers the vaccine to the immune cells immediately below the skin surface,” Doherty Institute added.

Vaxxas has developed the technology with studies funded by the U.S. government, according to Herald Sun.

Exclusive: Scared of needles, this one might be for you. | @theheraldsun @TheDohertyInst @UniMelb @UniMelbMDHS https://t.co/7D0fzOIvt3 pic.twitter.com/ibWmpTESbR

— Robyn Riley (@rileyrobyn08) September 11, 2024

Herald Sun reports:

A tiny skin patch half the size of a postage stamp is about to be tested in Melbourne to see if it can safely deliver a needle-free vaccine for bird flu.

The Australian invention has tiny prongs that give a vaccine dose directly to immune cells below the skin surface.

If clinical trials are successful it could be an alternative to the traditional method of an injection into a muscle and may even offer a way to give multiple vaccines at the same time.

Potentially it could even deliver multiple vaccines needle-free to babies, helping to reduce the number required to protect children under the age of five.

Vaxxas’ HD-MAP technology has been used in previous Phase I trials for seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and measles and rubella.

WATCH:

“Doherty Clinical Trials’ chief medical officer James McCarthy is leading the bird flu vaccine trial in Victoria,” Herald Sun noted.

“The prongs are pushed into the skin with a simple device and, over two minutes, they deliver the vaccine into the tissue just under the skin,” McCarthy said.

“Global pandemic threats require the world’s health organisations to have better and more accessible vaccine delivery options,” Vaxxas CEO David Hoey said, according to Doherty Institute.

“With potential benefits such as thermostability, ease of use, and patient acceptability, Vaxxas’ HD-MAP is designed to be rapidly and broadly deployed to accelerate vaccination uptake and rates,” Hoey added.

“Construction has started on a new facility at Northshore Hamilton for Queensland biotechnology company Vaxxas to develop and manufacture its needle-free vaccine technology,” the Queensland government stated in 2021.

“Visiting the site, Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said the Palaszczuk Government had provided support to the project, that was a key part of Queensland’s Economic Recovery Plan,” it added.

Miles is the current premier of Queensland.

He said the facility would be able to produce 300 million ‘needle-free’ vaccines.

WATCH:

Steven Miles is officially the new Premier of QLD.

Here he is 2 years ago announcing the new ‘Vaxxas’ facility, where 300 million “needle free” “vaccines” will be produced per year for the “next time” we need to “vaccinate our whole population.” pic.twitter.com/lrOMcQAf6i

— ZeeeMediaOfficial (@zeee_media) December 15, 2023

Per Doherty Institute:

This clinical study, enrolling 258 participants between the ages of 18 and 50 years, and involving multiple clinical trial sites, will be Vaxxas’ largest Phase I trial conducted-to-date with its HD-MAP technology.

Trial participants are required to be in good health and available to visit Doherty Clinical Trials’ facility in East Melbourne for nine scheduled visits across a 13-month period, where they will undergo a thorough medical examination by doctors, including a physical examination, measuring vital signs and conducting blood tests. Participants will be reimbursed for their time and expenses over the course of the study.

Doherty Clinical Trials CEO, Dr. Andrew Brockway said: “We are excited to be collaborating with an Australian biotech company developing a novel vaccination product that could play a significant role in the way we respond to future pandemics.

“If you are interested in being a part of supporting advances in vaccination technology, we’d love to hear from you.”

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

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