NIH Funds Vaccine Research for Needle-free and Self-Administered Protection Against Pandemic Influenza

(Denver, Colorado February 11, 2008) Rocky Mountain Biosystems, Inc.® (RMBI), a Denver area biomedical technology company, announced receipt of a grant award of approximately $600,000 over two years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop its Self-Administered Vaccination Electromechanical (SAVE) technology for influenza vaccination. In the event of a pandemic, this needle-free system could be rapidly disseminated to provide protection against a deadly influenza outbreak, such as H5N1 influenza or bird flu. RMBI’s technology has the potential to improve vaccine effectiveness to protect against a range of agents, including potential bioterror agents, by delivering therapeutics directly through the skin without needles, thus reducing required dosage and extending vaccine supplies. The RMBI technology and research may also improve population protection against annual seasonal influenza.
The SAVE device design is a lightweight, wristwatch-size vaccination system that delivers the vaccine in minutes, at pennies per application. “With RMBI’s SAVE technology, we believe we can deliver vaccine protection to nearly all of the U.S. population within days of an outbreak. In addition, the effectiveness of RMBI’s technology may reduce the amount of vaccine required, as well as provide greater immunity to the very young and elderly,” noted Kevin Marchitto, RMBI’s CEO.
RMBI’s direct delivery through the skin is designed to 1) provide a means for individuals to immunize themselves, 2) rapidly deploy to hundreds of millions, within days of an emerging threat, 3) improve the lifetime and stability of vaccines, and their ability to be stored for long duration, and 4) improve vaccine efficiency and effectiveness to minimize chronic vaccine supply problems.

The SAVE vaccine delivery technology is being developed at Rocky Mountain Biosystems, Inc., a 6-year-old biomedical company located in the Denver metro area. RMBI blends technologies with experience to improve medical outcomes through tissue sealing and transdermal drug delivery technology to improve delivery and absorption of vaccines and therapeutics.

Contact Information

Rae Reynolds

V.P. of Business Development

Rocky Mountain Biosystems, Inc.

Contact via E-mail