SoloShot autodisable syringe.

The SoloShot autodisable syringe has a fixed needle that automatically locks after a single injection, preventing possible transmission of infection through reuse.

Overview of our product development and technology portfolio

Vaccination against infectious diseases already saves millions of lives around the world each year. Even more deaths can be prevented through improvements in vaccines and vaccine-delivery systems.

Developing and advancing innovative technologies to improve vaccine safety, effectiveness, and efficiency are a critical part of PATH’s work. These efforts are particularly important to immunization programs seeking to improve health outcomes for groups disproportionately affected by diseases such as hepatitis B, measles, pneumonia, and Japanese encephalitis.

PATH takes a distinctive, systematic approach to advancing vaccine-related technologies. Key elements include:

  • Involving end users at all stages of product development.
  • Validating products in the laboratory.
  • Defining markets and product-introduction strategies.
  • Engaging with “gatekeeper” agencies to adjust policies and practices as needed.
  • Developing value propositions for products that are meaningful to all stakeholders who influence or enable change in immunization programs.

Capabilities

PATH’s technical capabilities reflect decades of experience in needs assessment, original product design or strategic adaptation, bench and field testing, technology transfer, scale-up, licensing, market analysis, and product introduction of immunization-related technologies. Our outstanding onsite research laboratory and shop facility are valuable resources for testing promising concepts and technologies—often under conditions similar to those of developing-country immunization programs.

Our work with vaccine producers and vaccine-development projects means we understand the commercial realities of advancing products for public-sector markets. At the same time, our strong field presence grounds us in the diverse local needs surrounding technology uptake and use.

Health worker vaccinating an infant held by her mother as school-age children look on.

We advance technologies to improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of vaccine delivery. Read more.

Collaboration

Achievements often hinge on effective collaboration with public- and private-sector partners, which have played key roles in advancing products that are now distributed in the billions worldwide. These partners include governments, vaccine and technology companies, laboratories, universities, other nongovernmental organizations, research consortiums, and international agencies.

Participation by both public- and private-sector entities is crucial. Although public-sector support is indispensable for development of vaccine-related technologies, it may not yield economically sustainable outcomes. Conversely, market forces alone may be insufficient to meet the health needs of low-income populations.

To ensure affordability and availability of new technologies, PATH has developed guidelines for working with the private sector. These include approaches to managing intellectual property to serve both private and public interests. The overarching goal is to harness the power of markets for sustainable improvements in global health.

Project work

Formulation and production methods:

  • Freeze-protection technology for vaccines containing aluminum adjuvant.
  • Heat-stable liquid formulation technology.
  • High-throughput screening assays.
  • Freeze-drying technologies.
  • Spray-drying methods: spray-drying, spray-freeze drying, and supercritical fluid spray-drying.

Vaccine-delivery technologies:

  • Dissolvable tablets/wafers for oral delivery.
  • Thermoresponsive gels for sublingual delivery.
  • Disposable-cartridge jet injectors.
  • Intradermal delivery devices: intradermal adapter for standard needles, microneedles, and field-filling device for hollow microneedles.
  • Syringes: autodisable, autoreconstitution, prefilled, and safety syringes.

Container and packaging improvements:

  • Reconstitution technologies: needle-free vaccine vial adapter, plastic needles for reconstitution, dual-chamber containers for freeze-dried or spray-dried vaccines.
  • Time-temperature indicators: vaccine vial monitors, freeze indicators.

Photos, from top: PATH, Heng Chivoan.