Leyba Aidan, Francian Alexandra, Razjmoo Mohammad, Bierle Amelia, Janardhana Ranjith, Jackson Nathan, Chackerian Bryce, Muttil Pavan
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States.
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States.
bioRxiv. 2024 Dec 20:2024.12.16.628763. doi: 10.1101/2024.12.16.628763.
Since its introduction, vaccination has heavily improved health outcomes. However, implementing vaccination efforts can be challenging, particularly in low and middle-income countries with warmer climates. Microneedle technology has been developed for its simple and relatively painless applications of vaccines. However, no microneedle vaccine has yet been approved by the FDA. A few hurdles must be overcome, including the need to evaluate the safety and biocompatibility of the polymer used to fabricate these microneedles. Additionally, it is important to demonstrate reliable immune responses comparable to or better than those achieved through traditional administration routes. Scalability in manufacturing and the ability to maintain vaccine potency during storage and transportation are also critical factors. In this study, we developed vaccine-loaded dissolvable microneedles that showed preclinical immunogenicity after storage in extreme conditions. We developed our microneedles using the conventional micromolding technique with polyacrylic acid (PAA) polymer, incorporating a novel virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine targeting arboviruses. We performed characterization studies on these microneedles to assess needle sharpness, skin insertion force, and VLP integrity. We also investigated the thermostability of the vaccine after storing the microneedles at elevated temperatures for approximately 140 days. Finally, we evaluated the immunogenicity of this vaccine in mice, comparing transdermal (microneedle) with intramuscular (hypodermic needle) administration. We successfully fabricated and characterized VLP-loaded microneedles that could penetrate the skin and maintain vaccine integrity even after exposure to extreme storage conditions. These microneedles also elicited robust and long-lasting antibody responses similar to those achieved with intramuscular administration.
自引入以来,疫苗接种极大地改善了健康状况。然而,实施疫苗接种工作可能具有挑战性,尤其是在气候较温暖的低收入和中等收入国家。微针技术因其在疫苗应用方面简单且相对无痛而得以发展。然而,尚无微针疫苗获得美国食品药品监督管理局(FDA)的批准。必须克服一些障碍,包括需要评估用于制造这些微针的聚合物的安全性和生物相容性。此外,证明与传统给药途径相当或更好的可靠免疫反应也很重要。制造的可扩展性以及在储存和运输过程中保持疫苗效力的能力也是关键因素。在本研究中,我们开发了负载疫苗的可溶解微针,其在极端条件下储存后显示出临床前免疫原性。我们使用传统的微成型技术与聚丙烯酸(PAA)聚合物开发了微针,其中包含一种针对虫媒病毒的新型病毒样颗粒(VLP)疫苗。我们对这些微针进行了表征研究,以评估针的尖锐度、皮肤插入力和VLP完整性。我们还在高温下储存微针约140天后研究了疫苗的热稳定性。最后,我们评估了这种疫苗在小鼠中的免疫原性,比较了经皮(微针)给药与肌肉内(皮下注射针)给药。我们成功制造并表征了负载VLP的微针,这些微针能够穿透皮肤,即使在暴露于极端储存条件后仍能保持疫苗完整性。这些微针还引发了与肌肉内给药相似的强烈且持久的抗体反应。