Tiba scientists are working with our academic collaborators at the University of Pittsburg and Carnegie Mellon University to design a new approach to mRNA vaccine delivery.  The combined stability of our nanoparticles and the dosing efficiency of a micro-needle patch offer new opportunities for healthcare professionals in resource-limited settings.

With a multi-institute grant made possible under the US Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the team is developing a novel approach to COVID-19 innoculation that addresses both immunological effectiveness and manufacturing efficiency with a low-dose, inexpensive, hybrid microneedle array (Hybrid-MNA) technology. This is a new, intradermal delivery device that builds on more than a decade of work on microneedle array technology by Burak Ozdoganlar, professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon and the project’s principal investigator.

While there have been impressive advances in modern vaccine technologies, we are still using an 18th century delivery device. The Hybrid-MNA approach not only allows smaller dosing, it is pain-free and has the potential for self-administration. — Karl Ruping

The novel vaccine delivery method allows for a very small amount—potentially 1/100th of the dose of a traditional vaccine—to elicit strong and long-lasting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infections. This can significantly help to reduce vaccine shortages.

For more details, see the article here: Scalable manufacturing for novel, painless vaccine delivery