Carnegie Mellon University: 3D Printing Enables New Painless Vaccination

Recently, Carnegie Mellon University is developing a new coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination method, which solves the low vaccine efficacy and production by using a low-dose, cost-effective hybrid microneedle (hybrid-MNA). the problem of inefficiency.

The hybrid microneedle is a new type of intradermal drug delivery device, and it is also the main part of this innovative research project on the new crown vaccination method. The researcher for the project is Professor Burak Ozdoganlar from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. For more than ten years, he has been working on microneedle array technology.

This new vaccination method requires only a very small dose of vaccine (about 1/100 of the traditional vaccine dose), but can produce strong and long-lasting immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which will greatly help Address vaccine shortages.

The second focus of this project is the fabrication process of this new hybrid microneedle, using both 3D printing (S130, Mofang Precision) and robotic automation for efficient and low-cost fabrication.

In addition, because the hybrid microneedles do not require cold chain storage like other vaccines, they will be easier to transport and store.

The research project, which provides a new approach to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, also earned the interdisciplinary research team a $643,359 grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition to Carnegie Mellon University, the collaborative team includes the University of Pittsburgh Vaccine Research Center and industrial partners Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF, Boston Micro Fabrication), Premier Automation and Tiba Biotech.

"Our team has considerable experience and interdisciplinary expertise in immunology, vaccine design, development and delivery, 3D printing, and industrial robotics automation," said Ozdoganlar, associate director of engineering research at Carnegie Mellon University.

"We are delighted to be working with Professor Ozdoganlar and Carnegie Mellon University on this important and meaningful project. Our ultra-high-precision 3D printing technology enables rapid and precise printing of microneedle arrays, saving time and cost Far beyond traditional manufacturing processes,” said John Kawola, CEO of Morgan Precision America.

“While modern vaccine technology is quite advanced, we are still using 18th-century delivery methods,” said Karl Ruping, CEO of Tiba Biotech. Potential for drug delivery."