TransVac™

Background 

The skin is an ideal mediator of vaccines, because it contains a powerful network of immune cells, the Langerhans Cells, which are acting as the body’s primary barrier against infection. Delivery of immunogens via the skin thus mimics natural infections, leading to effective immune responses.

Nordic Vaccine has developed of a transcutaneous immunisation (TCI) system, TransVac™, through a strategic partnership with Coloplast A/S, Denmark.

TransVac™ is a skin patch system developed for efficient, needle free administration of vaccines. The system combines Posintro™’s superior properties with the adhesive patch and gel technology developed by Coloplast, as illustrated below: 

Mechanism 

When placed on the skin, the TransVac™ patch allows the Posintro™ particles to penetrate the upper skin (stratum corneum) and deliver the vaccine antigen to the antigen presenting Langerhans cells in the epidermis, as shown in figure 1 

 This activates the Langerhans cells Langerhans cells, which migrate to the draining lymph node to proceed with the normal process establishing an immune response. This is illustrated in figure 2. 

The pictures below shows the in vivo activation & migration of Langerhans cells by immunohistochemical staining of skin before and following application of a TransVac™ patch with Posintro™- Tetanus toxoid antigen.