Measles and rubella microarray array patches to increase vaccination coverage and achieve measles and rubella elimination in africa

The African Region is committed to measles elimination by 2020 but coverage with the first dose of measles-containing vaccine was only 70% in 2017. Several obstacles to achieving high coverage with measles and rubella vaccines exist, some of which could be overcome with new vaccine delivery technologies. Microarray array patches (MAPs) are single-dose devices used for transcutaneous administration of molecules, including inactivated or attenuated vaccines, that penetrate the outer stratum corneum of the skin, delivering antigens to the epidermis or dermis. MAPs to deliver measles and rubella vaccines have the potential to be a transformative technology to achieve elimination goals in the African Region. MAPs for measles and rubella vaccination have been shown to be safe, immunogenic and thermostable in preclinical studies but results of clinical studies in humans have not yet been published. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of measles and rubella MAPs, their potential advantages for immunization programs in the African Region, and some of the challenges that must be overcome before measles and rubella MAPs are available for widespread use.