STMPatch

The SingleTimeMicroneedle Patch allows vaccines to be delivered via transdermal patch that painlessly embeds bodily degradable microneedles in the skin. The microneedles can be programmed for delivery over time and at specific times, requires no refrigeration, and can be self-administered by patients. The core technology of STM is a vaccine patch which can be painlessly applied at a single time on the skin to embed arrays of microneedles (MNs) inside the superficial skin layer (like an invisible tattoo). The MNs are made of a safe biodegradable polymer (used for surgical suture) and pre-programmed to release vaccines repeatedly over a long period, mimicking the effect of multiple prime/booster doses in the traditional vaccination process. The vaccines (including subunit protein-based antigen, vector-based vaccine or mRNAs) are stabilized against high temperatures, thus avoiding the need of cold-chain storage facilities and affirming the antigenicity for a long-term skin embedment. The technology will revolutionize the vaccination process by (1) enabling a high immunogenic efficacy via transdermal delivery, (2) enhancing patient compliance via the use of painless and self-administered skin patch, and (3) removing the logistic/economic burden to store vaccines at high temperatures. This skin patch could also be applied for animal vaccination, offering a high impact on both healthcare and other industry sectors.