Aquavit Pharmaceuticals is applying its AQUAGOLD® microchannel drug delivery device in the development of a self-administered dermal vaccine against COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
The company, which has filed patent applications covering the developments, said that its technology enables the administration of therapeutic vaccines into the hard-to-reach epidermal and dermal layers of the skin rich in anitgen presenting cells (APCs) for promoting effective immune responses. Self administration is particularly useful during pandemic crises, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, when there is no or limited access to healthcare providers and healthcare systems are stretched, and also reduces the infection risk from visiting a hospital to receive a vaccine.
“The skin is an immune inductive site rich in antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The superficial location of the skin makes it an attractive site for vaccine delivery but it is difficult to access the superficial skin layers using needle and syringe delivery, and vaccine antigens are challenging to deliver using standard topical formulations” says Dr Daniel Nevrivy PhD, JD, Aquavit’s Scientific Advisor.
The company is working to bring the resulting products to market rapidly.
PRESS RELEASE
Aquavit Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biotechnology company focused on the development of a first-of-its-kind microchannel drug delivery technology, today announces that the company has filed two patent applications with the US PTO. The patent applications cover platform technologies directed to novel methods for immunising patients against infectious diseases such as COVID-19 using microchannel delivery devices. The applications also cover unique vaccine compositions directed against SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus antigens and a new microchannel drug delivery device capable of administering the vaccine compositions or other drugs by non-health care professionals which is crucial in times of a pandemic crisis.
“The skin is an immune inductive site rich in antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The superficial location of the skin makes it an attractive site for vaccine delivery but it is difficult to access the superficial skin layers using needle and syringe delivery, and vaccine antigens are challenging to deliver using standard topical formulations” says Dr Daniel Nevrivy PhD, JD, Aquavit’s Scientific Advisor.
The new devices, compositions and methods described in the patent applications enable the administration of therapeutic vaccine compositions using microchannel delivery into these hard to reach epidermal and dermal layers of the skin rich in APCs for promoting effective immune responses. The methods and devices are particularly useful during times of epidemic and pandemic crises, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, when there is no or limited access to health care providers and healthcare systems are strained or limited. Being able to self-administer or have the administration performed by a non-health care provider also reduces the risk that the patient may become infected by visiting a hospital or health care provider where there are many infected patients.
Aquavit’s microchannel technology overcomes the existing problems of vaccine delivery while also avoiding bleeding and pain that are normally associated with commercially available immunisation methods. A related technology is currently used in Aquavit’s highly acclaimed AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ (www.aquagoldfinetouch.com) device. AQUAGOLD® is currently used by many medical professionals to micro-inject drugs and biologics into the dermal and epidermal skin layers for dermatological applications.
“The patent applications are important components of Aquavit’s formidable intellectual property portfolio covering various drug and vaccine candidates,” says Sobin Chang, MPH, Chief Executive Officer of Aquavit and a Board Director of Association of Yale Alumni in Public Health. “The self-administering pandemic-ready platform has come in the wake of the recent global COVID-19 pandemic. We hope our technology will reach people who have no access or limited access to healthcare personnel or systems and that it can play a significant role in the fight against the coronavirus. We are actively working to bring these products to market as soon as possible.”
Aquavit’s IP portfolio covers four major areas including smart compounding technology, dermatology, vaccine administration, and skin cancer.
Link to Press Release.