CEPI partners with biotech Jurata Thin Film to create needle-free mRNA vaccines and improve access

Thermostable vaccine technology could end need for frozen vaccine storage, expanding global access to mRNA LNP vaccines and supporting future pandemic response efforts. Vaccine-loaded thin films administered under the tongue could help avoid complexities that can come with standard needle-and-syringe administration. 5 December 2023, OSLO, Norway and CHAPEL HILL, NC - The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has partnered with Jurata Thin Film, Inc. (Jurata) to advance development of Jurata's thermostable under-the-tongue mRNA vaccine films as a needle-free vaccine delivery platform. CEPI will provide up to an initial US $1.2 million to support Jurata's proprietary innovative formulation platform which, if shown to be successful, could help expand access to mRNA vaccines in underserved regions and advance the global response to future emerging infectious disease outbreaks. mRNA vaccine technologies were critical in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling rapid development and manufacturing of billions of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses. However, to maintain vaccine potency, these vaccines had to be stored and distributed at below-zero temperatures, making them extremely difficult to deliver to remote areas or low-resource settings, which commonly lack the infrastructure and technologies needed to support these temperatures. This has limited global access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, exacerbating pandemic suffering. Jurata aims to improve vaccine accessibility to remote regions by stabilising the 3D structure of mRNA-containing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccine materials, provided by Quantoom Biosciences, part of Univercells, into a thin thermostable film, thereby removing frozen storage needs. The vaccine films are also lightweight and compact, simplifying the transportation process and potentially allowing for more doses to be shipped at any one time compared to current needle-and-syringe distribution. CEPI's initial funding will support optimising the composition and process of creating Jurata's thin films, as well as preclinical studies to assess whether their film formulation can effectively stabilise mRNA vaccines and deliver them via placement under the tongue. If successful in preclinical trials, and potential later clinical trials, this specialised needle-free delivery option could help promote vaccine uptake in areas of vaccine hesitancy and reduce the need for vaccine delivery specialists by enabling self-administration.