Anne Moore group

About the Vaccine Immunology and Delivery research group

Microneedle patches

We have extensive expertise in the pharmaceutical field to develop and pre-clinically test innovative microneedle patches (MNP) that incorporate vaccine or drugs into stable solid dosage forms of microneedles for delivery of the drug/vaccine to the skin or other body surfaces. Unlike other MNP producers, our unique manufacturing system ensures that there is no wastage of active ingredients during the fill-finish into patches. To date, we have worked with large, medium and small pharmaceutical partners to successfully incorporate their therapeutics or vaccines into MNP for skin delivery. We understand the key advanatages and constraints of developing MNP products. We have significant, diverse, experience of formulation requirements for a wide range of medicinal products and delivery systems of choice. All of these products have demonstrated potency, immunogenicity and efficacy in several in vivo pre-clinical models. Our technology is protected by a family of patent applications.

Vaccine Immunology

We are interested in understanding how the route of administration affects the induction, breadth and durability of immunity. We developed vaccine-containing dissolvable MNP to overcome the current issues of cold-chain distribution, labile vaccine stability and the need for needles and syringes to administer the vaccine. We are focussed on understanding how skin-based delivery of vaccines modulates the induction of antibody and T cell responses to a range of vaccines against diseases such as influenza, polio, malaria and cancer. We have tested this approach in small animal models as well as in guinea pigs, and more recently in pigs, as part of the SAPHIR veterinary vaccine EU FP7 consortium. For example, we demonstrated that administration of a seasonal influenza vaccine using patches, broadens the antibody profile compared to intramuscular injection; patch-based immunization induces antibodies that recognise virus strains, such as H5N1, that were not included in the vaccine (Vrdoljak et al., 2016). We have also devleoped novel stabilising formulations for polio vaccines, which when delivered by patches, induces at least equivalent antibody responses. We have developed other novel MNP that successfully incorporate adjuvants such as alum, stable emulsion or small molecule immune modulators. We are interested in further understanding how the skin immune network responds to these adjuvants ex vivo and in vivo. Finally, in collaboration with Vaxart, we assessed how oral delivery of their recombinant adenovirus RSV vaccine impacts on the induction of protective respiratory and systemic immunity in cotton rats (Joyce et al., 2018).

Vaccine implementation: Understanding the public’s views on immunization

Vaccines are considered to be among the most efficient uses of scarce health care resources. However, without adequate uptake, the success of immunisation programmes are compromised. In collaboration with researchers at the School of Pharmacy, UCC, we are conducting rigorous, qualitative research to better understand the Irish public’s perceptopn of vaccines; predominantly the HPV vaccine. The overarching aim of this project is to understand the determinants of vaccination in Ireland, ideally to support a reduction in vaccine hesitancy, increased acceptability and immunisation rates. Through this project, we aim to increase the public knowledge of adolescent vaccination with the objective of increasing public health against infectious disease and the sequelae of HPV infection in Ireland. Our research will provide an evidence base of adolescent vaccine acceptance and uptake in the Irish context.

The methodologies that we employ include common immunology and pharmaceutical protocols, including ELISPOT, flow cytometry, ELISA, microscopy, analysis of size, charge, homogeneity and moisture content of materials.