Microarray patches for vaccine delivery: clinical progress and translational challenges

Microarray patches (MAPs) are a promising vaccine delivery technology that can address key barriers to immunization, including cold-chain requirements, reliance on trained healthcare workers, and needle-associated waste. By incorporating thermostabilized vaccines into or onto microneedle arrays, MAPs offer simplified distribution, safer administration, and improved vaccine accessibility. Clinical studies of coated and dissolving MAPs have demonstrated favorable safety, tolerability, acceptability, and immunogenicity for a range of vaccines. Self-administration and limited dose-sparing potential have also been demonstrated. Key milestones that remain include successful commercial-scale manufacturing, regulatory approval, and market adoption. Continued focus, investment, collaboration, and innovation to overcome hurdles are driving this technology toward the end goal of improving vaccine coverage, strengthening immunization programs, and enhancing global health equity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

What you will learn

01

How microneedle density, geometry, and coated versus dissolvable formats determine vaccine dose loading and delivery into the skin

02

What clinical trials of vaccine MAPs have shown on safety, immunogenicity, self-administration, and dose sparing across age groups

03

Which manufacturing scale-up, regulatory, and market adoption hurdles stand between early clinical success and a commercial vaccine MAP

Key interests

Microarray patches Microneedles Vaccine delivery Thermostability Cold chain Coated MAPs Dissolvable MAPs Dose sparing Self-administration Clinical trials Manufacturing scale-up Regulatory pathways VIPS Global health equity LMICs

Please enter your email to access content Read now