Patches Among New Vaccine Delivery Methods

The volunteers in all three studies completed a diary each day for 7 days after ingesting each dose to record the occurrence of nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, or other symptoms. Blood was collected before and at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60 days after the first dose of transgenic plant for measurement of serum antibodies to LT or NV capsid protein. Whole blood was collected for antibody-secreting cell assays on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 (J. Infect. Dis. 2000;182:302-5).

Nineteen of the 20 subjects who ingested transgenic potatoes developed significant increases in the numbers of specific IgA antibody-secreting cells, 4 developed specific serum IgG, and 6 developed specific stool IgA.

Overall, 19 of 20 subjects developed an immune response of some kind, although the level of serum antibody increases was modest.

As for the intranasal route, my lab under National Institutes of Health-funded grants is working on anthrax, botulism, and tularemia in the bioterrorism arena.

Others are investigating intranasal vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus.

I doubt that companies will attempt to transition already-existing injectable vaccines to other modes of delivery, with a few exceptions like those for tetanus and hepatitis B. Rather, I think that much of this work will apply to the prevention of diseases that we currently are unable to prevent, both here and in the developing world.

I have no financial relationships with any of the companies developing these alternative vaccines.