PharmaJet showcases needle-free vaccine delivery in Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA—PharmaJet, a U.S.-based company focused on improving injectable performance through innovative technology, has presented the results of its latest routine immunization study at the 61st Annual Medical Conference and International Health Exhibition.

The event took place on February 21–22, 2025, at the Haile Grand in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

 It brought together physicians from across the country, along with representatives from the Ethiopian Medical Association, various medical specialty societies, medical schools, and the Ministries of Health and Education.

During the conference, PharmaJet’s Vice President of Global Business Development, Paul LaBarre, delivered a presentation titled “Intradermal Needle-Free Vaccine Delivery to Reduce Ethiopia’s Immunization Costs and Improve Coverage.”

He outlined how intradermal (ID) vaccine administration can foster improved cross-protection, prolonged immune responses, and enhanced mucosal immunity.

Traditionally, delivering vaccines into the ID space with a needle and syringe has been challenging.

In contrast, the PharmaJet Tropis® ID System offers a needle-free alternative that not only eases but also speeds up the administration process.

Tropis has already been used to vaccinate over 10 million children against polio and remains the only needle-free ID delivery technology prequalified by the WHO.

A recent randomized controlled study conducted in Nigeria demonstrated the effectiveness of using Tropis to administer a fractional inactivated poliovirus vaccine (fIPV) compared to the standard intramuscular delivery method with needles.

The study found that the coverage for IPV2 was 11.2% higher among those vaccinated with Tropis.

Furthermore, it reported significant cost savings, with incremental savings ranging from US$0.07 to US$1.00 per dose, leading to a reduction of up to 47% in total immunization costs at full scale.

The high acceptance rate of this method was evident, as 94% of caregivers and 95% of healthcare workers preferred the needle-free system, which also reduced administration time by an average of five seconds.

LaBarre emphasized that these positive findings from Nigeria demonstrate the substantial benefits of integrating the Tropis system into routine immunization programs.

He also highlighted supporting evidence from successful implementations in Pakistan, Somalia, and Nigeria.

He expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and other African partners to further explore the benefits of needle-free ID vaccine delivery.