FluGen secures exclusive rights to novel vaccine-delivery technology

7 April 2009

Flugen Inc., has secured exclusive rights to a novel, patent-protected vaccine-delivery technology being commercialized by Ratio Inc. Terms of the license agreement were not disclosed.

The easy-to-use, disposable micro-device painlessly delivers seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines. At the press of a button, a miniature fluidic pump distributes the vaccine to a set of microneedles. These microneedles deliver the vaccine intradermally, or into the skin, but not through it and into the muscle, like the traditional needle and syringe do.

The micro-device holds the potential to significantly increase vaccine effectiveness. Seasonal influenza vaccines have shown as little as 20 to 40% efficacy in some patients. Intradermal delivery like that which will be enabled by the micro-device has been shown to increase vaccine efficacy, particularly among those 65 years and older, for whom the disease is the most deadly.

The vaccine-delivery technology also may improve vaccination rates because of the pain-free, easy-to-use delivery it affords. More than a third of those 65 years and older do not receive vaccinations each year, despite higher influenza mortality rates due to age-related immune deficiencies. The vaccination rate is even lower in younger populations.

FluGen this year will begin pre-clinical testing of the micro-device with the company’s cell-based trivalent influenza vaccines, or TIVs. The company anticipates submitting an investigational new drug (IND) application for its vaccine-loaded micro-device to the US Food and Drug Administration during the second half of 2010 and hopes to enter a Phase I clinical trial upon its approval, by the end of 2010.

“This exciting vaccine-delivery technology from Ratio is an important expansion of FluGen’s product pipeline,” said Paul V Radspinner, president and chief executive of FluGen. “It will allow the company to offer the $6-billion influenza vaccine market not only superior vaccines, but an easy-to-use, painless delivery technology that increases vaccine effectiveness. FluGen looks forward to advancing this valuable product through our pipeline with one or more TIVs.”

Bookmark this page

Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames.	Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. FluGen secures exclusive rights to novel vaccine-delivery technology 7 April 2009 Flugen Inc., has secured exclusive rights to a novel, patent-protected vaccine-delivery technology being commercialized by Ratio Inc. Terms of the license agreement were not disclosed. The easy-to-use, disposable micro-device painlessly delivers seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines. At the press of a button, a miniature fluidic pump distributes the vaccine to a set of microneedles. These microneedles deliver the vaccine intradermally, or into the skin, but not through it and into the muscle, like the traditional needle and syringe do. The micro-device holds the potential to significantly increase vaccine effectiveness. Seasonal influenza vaccines have shown as little as 20 to 40% efficacy in some patients. Intradermal delivery like that which will be enabled by the micro-device has been shown to increase vaccine efficacy, particularly among those 65 years and older, for whom the disease is the most deadly. The vaccine-delivery technology also may improve vaccination rates because of the pain-free, easy-to-use delivery it affords. More than a third of those 65 years and older do not receive vaccinations each year, despite higher influenza mortality rates due to age-related immune deficiencies. The vaccination rate is even lower in younger populations. FluGen this year will begin pre-clinical testing of the micro-device with the company’s cell-based trivalent influenza vaccines, or TIVs. The company anticipates submitting an investigational new drug (IND) application for its vaccine-loaded micro-device to the US Food and Drug Administration during the second half of 2010 and hopes to enter a Phase I clinical trial upon its approval, by the end of 2010. “This exciting vaccine-delivery technology from Ratio is an important expansion of FluGen’s product pipeline,” said Paul V Radspinner, president and chief executive of FluGen. “It will allow the company to offer the $6-billion influenza vaccine market not only superior vaccines, but an easy-to-use, painless delivery technology that increases vaccine effectiveness. FluGen looks forward to advancing this valuable product through our pipeline with one or more TIVs.” Bookmark this page Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. To top	Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames.