Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê

This workshop report explores key challenges in vaccine formulation, particularly for needle-free administration routes, and considers how the Vax-Hub should address these challenges.

On 31 May 2022, the Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (the ‘Vax-Hub) held an online sandpit workshop to discuss needle-free administration routes for vaccines, the potential benefits that these might offer, and how the Vax-Hub should prioritise formulation studies in the next phase of their research. The workshop brought together the Vax-Hub team with a range of national and international stakeholders involved in vaccine development, manufacturing, delivery, and policy. 

Key points

1. Adopting needle-free technologies such as tablets, inhalers, and microarray patches could lead to greater-shelf life and better temperature stability vaccines that are easy to administer.  
2. Although needle-free administration routes are promising, there remain challenges to be overcome in efficacy, regulation, cost and manufacturability.
3. To have the largest impact on global supply chains and vaccine availability, a primary goal for vaccine formulation should be achieving better thermostability for storage at ambient temperatures. 

Download the Opportunities in needle-free formulation report [PDF]

Funder

EPSRC and the Department of Health and Social Care

Lead researchers

Professor Martina Micheletti (Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Biochemical Engineering), Professor Sarah Gilbert (University of Oxford Pandemic Sciences Institute)

Output type

Workshop report

PIU lead

Dr Penny Carmichael