Vaxxas, a clinical-stage biotech firm has obtained a new patent from the United States patent office covering proprietary manufacturing technology for its revolutionary immunisation platform, the high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP).
Composed of hundreds of microscopic projections shaped into a tiny patch, the HD-MAP vaccine technology offers self-administered needle-free vaccine delivery method. Applied to the skin, the patch sends the vaccination to the many immune cells under the skin surface.
Vaxxas new patent’s claims includes company’s proprietary printhead system that accurately and consistently dispenses a dried formulation of vaccine onto the HD-MAP microprojections in small doses.
“The printhead system has been specifically designed to coat the HD-MAP with vaccines in an aseptic environment that complies with government regulations for clinical and commercial manufacturing of vaccines,” Dr. Scott Fry, Vaxxas Chief Operating Officer, said. “This is a critical phase of our manufacturing process. It enables us to coat the HD-MAP at high speed and in a consistent manner to achieve large volumes without compromising the quality of the end product.”
“The precision by which the printhead system coats the vaccine onto each microprojection is quite incredible, and a significant achievement by our team of engineers,” Dr. Fry said. “It’s great to have this recognised and covered by the U.S. patent office.”
This new U.S. patent issuance increases Vaxxas’ growing international intellectual property portfolio of 43 issued patents and supports the company’s exclusive right to produce and market its patented vaccination technology in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
More broadly, Vaxxas’ patent portfolio addresses all notable proprietary features of the company’s vaccine delivery platform and products, including the manufacture and use of the HD-MAP vaccine technology and novel applicator device; vaccine formulations; and methods for formulating, loading and coating vaccines on HD-MAP technology.
“Vaxxas is aiming to transform the vaccine market by improving the performance of vaccines and reducing the economic and logistical challenges typically associated with needle-and-syringe vaccination,” David Hoey, Vaxxas Chief Executive Officer, said. “The breadth of our patent portfolio protects our exclusive use of the technologies necessary to achieve this goal, as well as freely manufacture and sell our products at commercial scale and in a safe and regulatory compliant manner.”
From its worldwide headquarters and cutting-edge biomedical facility in Brisbane, Vaxxas is ramping up production and distribution of the world’s first commercially available vaccine patches.
Vaxxas’ HD-MAP vaccine technology has finished five successful Phase I clinical trials with vaccines addressing some of the world’s most pressing health issues including COVID-19, flu, and measles and rubella involving more than 500 individuals.
With money from the United States Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Vaxxas has lately finished enrolling 258 people in a U.S. IND-enabled Phase I clinical trial for a pre-pandemic influenza vaccination. Results from the trial are anticipated in June of this year.V
