New research involving RMIT University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Medical School has identified conditions that could improve the stability of dry mRNA vaccine patches, potentially making future vaccines easier to store, transport and distribute.
Published in Advanced Functional Materials, the study examined how the fragile lipid nanoparticles that carry mRNA behave when dried into the dissolvable material used in microneedle patches. The patches, which use hundreds of tiny projections to deliver vaccines through the skin, are being developed as an alternative to traditional injections.
The research builds on earlier work led by MIT showing the patches could be printed and stored at room temperature using a model mRNA system. The latest study provides new insight into why some dry patch formulations perform better than others, combining RMIT’s expertise in materials characterisation with MIT’s work in microneedle and mRNA delivery technologies and Harvard Medical School’s expertise in virology and immunology.
Reducing reliance on cold-chain logistics could remove a significant barrier to vaccine distribution, particularly in lower-resource settings. According to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, 14.3 million children globally received no vaccines at all in 2024.
Lead author Dr Brendan Dyett from RMIT said the findings marked an important step towards making vaccines easier and more affordable to distribute.
“Many mRNA vaccines need to be stored at very low temperatures, adding cost and complexity to transport and delivery,” Dyett said.
“Our study helps explain how the particles that carry mRNA respond to drying and rehydration, which is an important step towards designing future vaccine patches that are more stable and practical to distribute.”
Researchers used advanced imaging and X-ray techniques to analyse the mRNA-carrying particles before drying, during the drying process and after rehydration. The analysis revealed how the particles changed throughout each stage and identified formulation conditions that best preserved both their structure and biological activity.
The study found that both the design of the nanoparticles and the amount of polymer used in the microneedle patch influenced how well the particles survived drying and re-dissolving. The findings provide practical guidance for the future development of dry mRNA vaccines and therapies.
Lead researcher RMIT Distinguished Professor Calum Drummond AO said the research helped lay the groundwork for broader use of microneedle vaccine technology.
“This research is helping build the foundation for microneedle patches that could make advanced vaccines and therapies simpler to use and easier to access,” Drummond said.
“The long-term goal is to support technologies that are not only effective, but practical for the places and communities that need them most.”
The next phase of the research will focus on further optimising nanoparticle and patch formulations, investigating immune responses and exploring whether similar approaches can be applied to other mRNA medicines. The paper, Exploring an Alternative to mRNA Vaccine Cold Chain Storage: mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Stability When Dried in a Polymer Matrix, has been published in Advanced Functional Materials.
