Flu vaccine patch a disappointment

A flu vaccine administered via a skin patch has produced disappointing results at a phase 1 clinical trial.

The manufacturer of the flu vaccine skin patch Iomai says it did not perform as well as the standard injection in the early stage clinical testing.

The trial involved 353 patients and compared the immune responses generated by Iomai's needle-free vaccine patch with an injected intramuscular vaccine.

Both vaccines contained the same three flu antigens.

The injected vaccine produced a greater immune response compared with the patch vaccine but the company says despite the disappointing results from the study, they will continue ahead with the development of the vaccine.

The needle-free approach to vaccination offers several potential benefits compared to injectable vaccines; the patch formulations are stable at room temperature and the patch can be self-applied.

The drug company believes the disappointing results can be attributed to the substance used to generate the immune responses, and plan to test with another substance in future trials.

The company's chief executive Stanley C. Erck says they know the patch works and they are confident that delivery through the skin works.

They predict it will be a year to 18 months before new clinical trials of their patch can be performed again.