A microarray patch SARS-CoV-2 vaccine induces sustained antibody responses and polyfunctional cellular immunity
Stephen C. Balmert,
Zohreh Gholizadeh Ghozloujeh,
Cara Donahue Carey,
Li’an H. Williams,
Jiying Zhang,
Preeti Shahi,
Maher Amer,
Tina L. Sumpter,
Geza Erdos,
Emrullah Korkmaz,
Louis D. Falo, Jr.
Affiliations
Stephen C. Balmert
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Zohreh Gholizadeh Ghozloujeh
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Cara Donahue Carey
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Li’an H. Williams
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Jiying Zhang
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Preeti Shahi
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Maher Amer
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Tina L. Sumpter
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Geza Erdos
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Emrullah Korkmaz
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Corresponding author
Louis D. Falo, Jr.
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Sustainable global immunization campaigns against COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases require effective, broadly deployable vaccines. Here, we report a dissolvable microarray patch (MAP) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that targets the immunoresponsive skin microenvironment, enabling efficacious needle-free immunization. Multicomponent MAPs delivering both SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit antigen and the TLR3 agonist Poly(I:C) induce robust antibody and cellular immune responses systemically and in the respiratory mucosa. MAP vaccine-induced antibodies bind S1 and the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain, efficiently neutralize the virus, and persist at high levels for more than a year. The MAP platform reduces systemic toxicity of the delivered adjuvant and maintains vaccine stability without refrigeration. When applied to human skin, MAP vaccines activate skin-derived migratory antigen-presenting cells, supporting the feasibility of human translation. Ultimately, this shelf-stable MAP vaccine improves immunogenicity and safety compared to traditional intramuscular vaccines and offers an attractive alternative for global immunization efforts against a range of infectious pathogens.
