As Europe battles its fifth COVID-19 wave, UK-based Emergex has pioneered a needle-free vaccine: a micro-needle skin patch. Experts indicate this approach could provide immunity lasting a decade or more.
The Delta variant dominated headlines recently, with Europe reporting 2.5 million cases and nearly 30,000 deaths in a single week. The WHO warns this fifth wave could lead to at least 700,000 additional deaths on top of the pandemic's 1.5 million fatalities. Highly contagious, Delta reduces vaccine effectiveness to 40% from 60% against prior variants.
Vaccines aim to curb transmission and prevent severe illness. In France, booster shots are available for those over 65, soon extending to over-50s. Yet many remain unvaccinated—some due to anti-vax views, others from needle phobia (belonephobia). Emergex offers hope for the latter, as detailed in The Guardian's November 15, 2021, article: a skin patch vaccine, similar to nicotine cessation patches.
Emergex's micro-needle patch could vaccinate needle-phobic individuals while targeting broader needs: immunity for 10 years or longer and resilience against viral mutations like new variants.
Dubbed the T Cell Skin Patch, it leverages T cells—immune cells that destroy virus-infected cells. Unlike traditional vaccines, which rely on fading antibodies, this fosters durable protection.
Swiss authorities have approved initial clinical trials at the University of Lausanne with 26 patients receiving low or high doses. Results are anticipated by summer 2022, with no commercialization imminent—but it's a credible alternative to injections.
Robin Cohen, Emergex's Chief Commercial Officer, noted: This marks the first regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine trial focused solely on generating a targeted T cell response, without antibodies.
