Researchers testing COVID-19 vaccine patch

Researchers began testing a new COVID-19 vaccine patch this month that they hope will provide long-lasting protection against the virus.  

On Wednesday, researchers said the PepGNP-Covid19 vaccine is in an early-study phase, as the technology is much different than the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccines, Reuters reported.

Instead of producing an antibody response, the vaccine patch focuses on cellular immunity by targeting T-cells that could eliminate the coronavirus and prevent it from spreading in the body. 

The vaccine works by putting a patch with microneedles on a person then taking it off.

“With this new vaccine that generates this cellular immunity we hope to have a longer period of protection … we don’t know yet, but it could be one year, two years, three years,” professor Blaise Genton, head of the study, told Reuters.

The vaccine was developed by Emergex Vaccines Holding Ltd., and the trial will be conducted through Unisanté medical research center in Lausanne, Switzerland, along with a local hospital.

The trial includes 26 candidates who will receive two patches of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the second one being slightly stronger. The people will then be tracked for six months, Reuters noted. 

The first trial for the vaccine began on Jan. 10. Emergex announced the development of the new vaccine back in November.