During a typical U.S. influenza season, approximately 20,000 people die. The rise of the H5N1 influenza virus and the concern over pandemic influenza have increased the need to develop more effective and efficient methods to vaccinate large numbers of people. Respiratory delivery of live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) has shown distinct advantages over conventional influenza vaccines delivered by injection using a dead virus. However, current respiratory delivery technology is still too wasteful (of limited vaccine material) and faces significant patient acceptability issues.

Creare is currently developing an advanced intranasal delivery device for LAIV under funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our device uses low-cost disposable cartridges and generates a vaccine aerosol tailored specifically to deposit vaccine at the most immunologically effective locations in the respiratory tract and minimizes waste of precious vaccine supplies.

Respiratory delivery holds promise for fast, affordable, and effective immunization against influenza and possibly other diseases.

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