Controlled, single-step, stratum corneum disruption as a pretreatment for immunization via a patch

A Skin Prep System (SPS) has been developed to provide a well-tolerated and controlled method of stratum corneum disruption using mild abrasion as part of transcutaneous immunization (TCI). In this study, four groups (n=10) of volunteers were pretreated with the SPS using three different lengths of mild abrasive strips (13 mm, 25 mm and 38 mm), or a handheld applicator. They then received a vaccine patch containing 50 microg of the heat-labile enterotoxin from Escherichia coli (LT) at day 0 and day 21. Subsequent anti-LT IgG antibody responses were dependent on abrasive strip length, with highest immune responses seen after use of the longest strip. The development of a simple, single-use, disposable device that is well-tolerated and allows disruption to be modulated represents an important step forward in physical penetration enhancement for the skin.