Australian researchers have developed a transdermal drug delivery system that uses a series of nanoneedles to delivery vaccines just below the upper skin surface.
Being both painless and needle-free, the nanopatch offers hope for those with needle phobia, as well as improving the vaccination experience for young children.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lc_3M-8K6I&feature=player_embedded
"The Nanopatch targeted specific antigen-presenting cells found in a narrow layer just beneath the skin surface and as a result we used less than one hundredth of the dose used by a needle while stimulating a comparable immune response," Professor Kendall said.
"Our result is ten times better than the best results achieved by other delivery methods and does not require the use of other immune stimulants, called adjuvants, or multiple vaccinations.
Because the Nanopatch requires neither a trained practitioner to administer it nor refrigeration, it has enormous potential cheaply deliver vaccines in developing nations," he said.
Similiar patch systems have developed at Georgia Tech (one of the first articles we saw was back in '98) and HP, but have not been commercialized.
More at University of Queensland
