This needle-free vaccine fights Covid variants better than traditional ones

The ones refraining from taking a Covid jab fearing the needle can breathe in some relief as researchers have now developed a needle-free vaccine patch that could fight Covid-19 better than a traditional needle vaccine.

A study by University of Queensland, conducted in partnership with Brisbane biotechnology company Vaxxas, in mice using the Vaxxas high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP), stated that the Hexapro SARS-CoV-2 spike vaccine patch can neutralise the Covid-19 variants such as Omicron and Delta far more effectively.

Dr Christopher McMillan of the University of Queensland in the UQ Newsletter said that the Hexapro vaccine patch appeared to fight the new variants more effectively than the current SARs-CoV-2 vaccine given through injection.

“The high-density microarray patch is a vaccine delivery platform that precisely delivers the vaccine into the layers of the skin which are rich in immune cells,” Dr McMillan said.

"We found that vaccination via a patch was approximately 11 times more effective at combatting the Omicron variant when compared with the same vaccine administered via a needle."

Due to the constantly emerging new Covid-19 variants, the currently available vaccines may not be as effective, leaving the researchers at crossroads.

“This decreased effectiveness was highlighted by the Omicron variant, which contains over 30 mutations in the spike protein,” Dr Muller said.

“The large number of mutations have given the virus the ability to evade the immune responses generated by the current vaccines.”

“However, the patch technology has the potential to offer a new – and more effective – weapon in our arsenal, at a time where new variants are mutating at a rapid rate.

“The patches are not only more effective against emerging variants but are also far easier to administer than needle-based vaccines.

“But, it is important to stress that existing vaccines are still an effective way of combatting serious illness and disease from this virus and it is not the time to drop our guard.”

The CEO of Vaxxas, David Hoey said, “we are continuing to scale-up our manufacturing capabilities and accelerate product development in preparation for large-scale clinical trials.”

“This includes construction of our first manufacturing facility in Brisbane to support the transition to commercialising of our HD-MAP vaccine candidates, including a Hexapro COVID-19 patch.”