The Pandemic Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pharma Latch, a company formed to transform how to deliver injectables such as vaccines. Staff and researchers from Liverpool travelled to the Pharma Latch office in Dublin last week to formalise the partnership.

Currently, the vast majority of vaccines are delivered into patients arms intramuscularly (into the muscle) using a needle and syringe.  Pharma Latch has developed a unique technology to allow simple, efficient delivery intradermally (into the skin).  Delivering vaccines into the skin has a myriad of benefits, including  the potential to achieve stronger immune responses potentially leading to less vaccine being required (dose sparing).  In addition, the microneedles in the Pharma Latch device offer a near pain free solution overcoming potential needle phobia.  You can view a video of the technology on the Pharma Latch website.

The collaboration came after The Pandemic Institute attended World Vaccine Congress in Washington DC, which is the world’s largest, most established meeting dedicated to vaccines. One of The Pandemic Institute’s major research themes is to ‘Prevent’ future emerging infections of pandemic potential from spreading globally, as well as ‘Responding’ when they do. A major component of this will be developing new vaccines and working with the wider community to understand how to increase their acceptability.

Anticipated projects The Pandemic Institute and Pharma Latch are looking to progress include:

• Patient acceptability of intradermal injection technology
• Assess the immune response when using the new technology in pre-clinical trials
• Assess how the technology works in delivering vaccines in a clinical trial 

“Vaccine hesitancy is a rising concern in controlling infectious diseases, and anxiety around perceived pain and blood injection injury phobia (“needle phobia”) can be strong contributing factors to hesitancy. We are excited to be working with Pharma Latch to explore this new device and the benefits it could bring to reducing vaccine and increasing uptake.” Professor Cathy Montgomery, Professor of Psychopharmacology and Health Inequalities, Liverpool John Moores University

Speaking of the new collaboration, Professor Tom Solomon CBE, from the University of Liverpool’s Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences Institute, and Director of The Pandemic Institute said:

“This new collaboration showcases what The Pandemic Institute does best – bringing together key people from across our partnership with external partners to ensure that we are putting things in place now for when the next pandemic emerges. We are excited to be working with Pharma Latch going forward.”

Ronan Byrne, CEO of Pharma Latch, said:

“We are delighted to be partnering with The Pandemic Institute and researchers at its founding organisations to create a centre of excellence for our technology.  We are impressed with both the breadth of ability and resources available and are excited about the planned projects we will be looking to progress together.”

For more information on Pharma Latch, visit their website: https://www.pharmalatch.com/