Oral vaccine administration

Research and development of a new administration of the vaccine in the company AUMED, a.s.

AUMED, a.s. started active cooperation with the Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové on the development of a new vaccine which will be administered orally as a lyophilized tablet. A newly innovated pertussis vaccine has been chosen as a model vaccine which was developed by the company AUMED, a.s. in recent years. The chosen model vaccine is justified in the increasing number of local epidemics of whooping cough.

WHY RESEARCH IN THIS AREA?

Previously used vaccines are injected as a classical parenteral drug. The vaccine application induces the immune response of the organism, but the disadvantage is the reduced protective effect on nasopharynx mucosa, which is the entry gate of infection. Oral administration of Bordetella pertussis vaccine is technically justified because the mucosal immune system of the oral cavity and nasopharynx are interconnected. The immune response to this form of administration is supported by clinical tests. The lyophilized tablet, as a new form of vaccine, guarantees a satisfactory distribution on the buccal mucosa. The trend of using lyophilized tablets as a new drug form is generally accepted in pharmaceutical application and is understood to be a progressive solution.

AIM OF OUR RESEARCH

These research activities should result in a microbial vaccine in the form of a lyophilized tablet administered orally.

The research was also carried out with the help of the research and development support program of the Ministry of Industry and Trade called TRIO. AUMED, a.s. implemented a three-year project in this program entitled “Development of a new dosage form for oral vaccine administration” (Project no.: FV 40365). The project was successfully completed at the end of 2021 with results and outputs in accordance with the project plan. AUMED, a.s. is working on the successful commercialization of outputs. Learn more about the results of the project.