Important Innovations

  3D Printed Microneedle Patch Alternative to Needles                                                                 Source:  UNC-Chapel Hill New Tech That's a Breakthru for Vaccines Researchers at Stanford University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill have developed a 3D printed plastic patch as an alternative to COVID-19 vaccinations by needles.  The patch contains an array of microneedles that directly deliver the vaccine into the skin.  The researchers say the microneedle patch is ten times more effective in producing an immune response than a needle and it is painless. Microneedle patches have been under development for decades.  But the breakthrough on this revolutionary new patch came from 3D printing the microneedles on a polymer patch just long enough to reach the skin and deliver the vaccine. Customization Through 3D Printing The key to the new patch is 3D printing which enables customization of the microneedles for various vaccine patches. The researchers

  Zipline Vaccine Deliveries by Drone                                        Source:  Zipline Potential New Remedy to Vaccine Shortages  In the business of drone deliveries, Zipline is by far the biggest player.  It has extensive experience delivering blood and vaccines by drones.  In fact, in 2020, it delivered one million doses of non-COVID-19 vaccines in Africa alone.  It is now about to tackle the difficult logistical task of delivering COVID vaccines. Vaccines Coming By Flying Drones Zipline is a 7 year old startup, headquartered in San Francisco.  It just disclosed that it is developing a COVID vaccine drone delivery system with a COVID vaccine manufacturer.  Zipline did not name the manufacturer that it's working with.  The delivery process is very complicated because many of the vaccines like those from Pfizer and Moderna need to be kept at cold temperatures or they de-nature. April Takeoffs Zipline says it will have "end to end" cold chain capabilities" in p