Researchers Develop A New Dry Powder Inhalable Measles Vaccine

No more arm pricks and colorful bandages for kids getting their measles vaccination. A new vaccine for the virus is making headway in early clinical trials — and it comes in powder form, taken not through injection but inhalation.

To test the vaccine, the researchers headed by Robert Sievers, a fellow at CU’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Studies recruited 60 healthy male adults who already developed immunity to measles.

The researchers found that the vaccine did not cause any negative side effects. It can also be stored for six months at room temperature. In a refrigerator, the vaccine can lasts for four years. The current vaccine comes dried and must be mixed with water before being used. Since they come in multi-dose vials, they can go bad overnight. When compared to the traditional vaccine, the powdered one is a lot less wasteful. Not having a needle can also be a plus.

“There are lots of us who don’t like to admit that we’re afraid of them, but if you give me a choice, I’d be happy to take an inhalable vaccine any time over a needle,” Sievers stated according to the Denver Post.
Despite immunization efforts, measles killed 122,000 people in 2012. Researchers believe that with more innovative ideas, this number can fall drastically.

“It’s a very, very infectious disease and we still have several hundred people dying every day from a measles-related disease,” Sievers said. “You’d think we’ve gotta get past this somehow or another, and why are we still having this problem?”

Agencies/Canadajournal