An Australian company called Vaxxas is on the verge of introducing an alternative to traditional needle-based vaccinations. The company’s vaccine patch technology, which was developed in 2011 by researchers from the University of Queensland, is based on the concept of dry-delivery microneedles. Unlike regular injections, each individual needle in the patch is coated with the vaccine solution.

The patch consists of thousands of tiny needles that are placed on the inside of a small patch. These needles are so small that they cannot be seen or felt, but they are capable of piercing the upper layers of the skin. When the patch is applied to a patient’s arm and tapped, the vaccine is delivered to the immune cells through the needles. The entire process takes only a few seconds and is virtually painless for the patient. Additionally, since the needles are small, only a fraction of the vaccine solution required for a traditional injection is needed to create a single patch.

To fast-track the development and global deployment of vaccine patches, the Queensland state government has pledged its full support to Vaxxas. The patches have been included in the government’s Biomedical 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan, recognizing their potential contribution to pandemic preparedness.

According to Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles, this technology has the potential to be an essential tool in responding to pandemics. By enabling quick and easy deployment of vaccines to communities, vaccine patches can play a crucial role in preparing for and managing outbreaks.

Vaxxas has already conducted successful tests of its vaccine patch system on more than 500 human subjects. If all goes according to plan, commercial distribution of vaccine patches could begin within the next three to five years.