MELBOURNE, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Scientists from Australia and the United States have identified conditions that could make future mRNA vaccines easier to store and distribute, potentially reducing reliance on cold-chain logistics.
The study identified conditions that protect mRNA-carrying particles in dry microneedle patches, which use hundreds of tiny tips to deliver vaccine into the skin as an alternative to traditional injections, according to a statement released by Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) on Wednesday.
Unlike many current mRNA vaccines, which require ultra-cold storage, the patches could be stored at room temperature. Reducing cold-chain requirements could improve access, particularly in lower-resource settings, where millions of children still miss routine vaccinations each year, according to the study published in Advanced Functional Materials.
The study, involving RMIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School in the United States, examines what happens to the fragile particles used to carry mRNA when they are dried into the dissolvable material used in microneedle patches.
Using advanced imaging and X-rays, researchers tracked particle changes through drying and rehydration, finding that nanoparticle design and polymer amount affected particle survival.
"Our study helps explain how the particles that carry mRNA respond to drying and rehydration, which is an important step towards designing future vaccine patches that are more stable and practical to distribute," said the study's lead author Brendan Dyett from RMIT. ■