WEBVTT 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's a pleasure to be here 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in Edinburgh, Scotland, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the birthplace of a needle and syringe. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Less than a mile from here in this direction 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in 1853 a Scotsman found the very first pattent 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on the needle and syringe 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 his name was Alexander Wood 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and was in the Royal College of Physicians. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the pattent. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What blows my mind when I look at it 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 even today, is that it looks almost identical 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to needle and use today 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 yes it's a hundred and sixty years old. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So we turn to the field of vaccines 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 most vaccines are delivered with 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the needle and syrnge 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 this 160 year old technology 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and credit where its due to many 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 vaccines ar a successful technology 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 after clean water and sanitation, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 vaccines are the one technology that has increased 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 our life span the most 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That's a pretty hard act to beat 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But just like any other technology 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 vaccines have their shortcomings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the needle, the needle and syringe 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is a key part within that narrative 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 this old technology. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So let's start with the obvious, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 many of us don't like the needle and syringe. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I share that view. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 However, the 20 percent of the population 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 have a thing for needle-phobia 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that's more than disliking the needle that is 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 actively avoiding being vaccinated 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 because of needle-phobia 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And that's problematic in terms of the rollout of vaccines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 now related to this is another key issue 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which is needle stick key injuries 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the wh has figures 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that suggest about 1.3 million deaths per year 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 take place during contamination 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with needle stick injuries 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 These are early deaths that take place. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now these are two things that you probably may have heard of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There's two other shortcomings of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the needle and syringe you may not have heard about 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 One is it could be holding back 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the next generation of vaccines 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and terms of their immune responses 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the second is that it could be responsible 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for the problem of the cold train that I'll tell you about 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 as well 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'm going to tell you about some work that my team 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I are doing in Australia 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the University of Queensland 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on a technology of design 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to tackle those four problems 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And that technology is called the Nanopatch. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now, this is a specimen of the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 To the naked eye 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it just looks likea square 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 smaller than a postage stamp 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But under a microscope 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What you see is thousands of tiny proejctions 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that are invisible 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to the human eye 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and there's about 4 thousand projections 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on this particular square right here 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to the needle 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I've designed those projections 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to serve a key roll 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which is to work with the skin's immune system 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So that's a very important function 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 tied into the Nanopatch. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now we make the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with a technique 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 called deep reactive ion etching 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and this particular technique 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is one that's been borrowed from the semiconductor industry 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and one as low costing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 can be rolled out in large numbers. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now we dry coat vaccines to the projections 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and apply it to the skin. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now the simplest form of application 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is using our finger 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But our finger has some limitations. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So we've devised an applicator 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and it's a very simple device 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you could call it a sophisticated finger 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's a screen operated device. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What we do is when we apply the Nanopatch to the skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 as so 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 immediately a few things happen 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so firstly the projections on 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the Nanopatch breach through the tough outer layer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the vaccine is very quickly released 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 within less than a minute in fact. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then we can take the Nanopatch off 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and discard it 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And indeed we can make a reuse 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of the applicator itself. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So that gives you an idea of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the Nanopatch and immediately 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you can see some advantages 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 talk about a thing needle free. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 These are projections that you can't even see 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and of course we get around the needle-phobia 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 issue as well. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now if we take a step back and think about these other two 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 really important advantages 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 one is improved immune responses through delivery 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the second is getting rid of the cold chain. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So let's start with the first one 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 this immune asdjfks idea takes a little while 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to get our head around 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but I'll try to explain it in simple terms 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So I'll take a step back and explain to you 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 how vaccines work in a simple way 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So vaccines work by introducing to our body 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a thing called an antogen 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which is a safe form of a germ. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now that safe germ, that antogen, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 tricks our body into an immune repsonse 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 learning and remembering how to deal with intruders 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When the real intruder comes along 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the body quickly mounts an immune response 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to deal with that vaccine 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and neutralizes the infection. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So it does that well. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now, why it's done today 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with the needle and syringe 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is most vaccines are delivered with this old technology 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the needle but it could be argued 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that the needle is holding back 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 our immune responses 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's missing our immune sweet spot 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So to describe this idea 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we need to take a journey through the skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 starting with one of those projections 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and applying the Nanopatch to the skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we see this kind of data 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now this is real data 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that thing that we can see there is one projection 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 from the Nanopatch that's been applied to the skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and those colors are different layers. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now to give you an idea of scale 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 if the needle was shown here it be much bigger 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it be ten times bigger than the size of that screen 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 going ten times deeper as well. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's off the grid in time 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can see immediately that we have those projections in the skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that red layer is a tough outer layer of dead skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but the brown layer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the magenta layer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 are jammed full of immune circles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As one example in the brown layer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 theres a certain type of cell called Langue 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and so every square millimeter of our body 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is jammed full of those Langerhan cells 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 body that we have explained in this image 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but you can immediately see that the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 achieves that penetration deep 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we target thousands upon thousands of these particualar cells 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 just residing in the hairs width 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 surface of the skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 now as the guy that has invented this thing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and found out to do I find that exciting 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But so what? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So what if you've targeted the cells 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in the world of vaccines 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what does that mean? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The world of vaccines is getting better 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's getting more systematic 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 however, you still don't reallly know if a vaccine is going to work 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 until you roll your sleeves up and vaccinate and wait 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's a gambler's game even today 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, we had to do that gamble. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We obtained a new kind of vaccine, we applied it to Nanopatches 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we applied the Nanopatches to the skin 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and this isn't a live animal. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And we waited a month 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and this is what we found out: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is a data slide showing the immune responses that we've generated with a Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 compared to the needle a syringe and -- 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So in the horizontal access we have the dose show in Nanograms 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on the vertical access we have the immune response generated on that dashed line 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 At that dashed line indicates the protection threshold 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If we're above that dashed line it's considered 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If we're below that line, it's not. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So the red line is mostly that curve 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and as you see theres only one point achieved with the needle thats protected 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and thats with a high dose of 6 thousand nanograms 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but notice immediately the distinctly different curve that we achieve 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with the blue line. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That's what's achieved with the nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the delivered dose of the Nanopatch is a completely different 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 immune- fads curve 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that's a real fresh opportunity 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 suddenly we have a brand new leaver 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in the world of vaccines 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We can push it one way where we can take a vaccine that works 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but is too expensive and we can get protection 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with a hundredth of the dose 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or we can take it afkdaslf 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 down to ten cents and that's particularly important 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 within the developing world 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But there's another angle to this as well 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you can take vaccines that currently don't work 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and get them over that line 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and get them protective 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And certainly in the world of vaccines 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that can be important 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 let's consider the big three 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 HIV, Malaria, Tuberculosis 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they're responsible for about 7 thousand deaths per year 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and there is no adequate vaccination method for any of those. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So potentially with this new leaver that we have with the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we can help make that happen, we can push that leaver 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to help get those asdfkasfjla vaccines over the line. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now of course we've worked with the lab with many other vaccines 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that have attained similar responses and similar curves 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 achieved with influenza 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'd like to now switch to talk about 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 another key shortcoming of today in vaccines 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that is the need to maintain the cold chain. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As the name suggests, it's the requirement of keeping a vaccine right from production 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 all the through to when the vaccine is applied 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to keep it refrigerated. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now, that presents some logistical challenges 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but we have ways to do it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is a slightly extreme case in point 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but it helps illustrate the logistical challenges 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in particular settings of what's required to get settings to maintain the cold chain 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 if the vaccine is to warm the vaccine breaks down 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but interestingly the vaccine can be too cold 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and it will break down as well. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The steaks are very high 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the WHR estimates that in Africa up to half 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the vaccines used there 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 are considered to not be working properly because at some point 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the cold chain has fallen over 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So it's a big problem 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and it's tied in with the needle and syringe 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 because the liquid at needs of refrigeration 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A key attribute of our Nanopatch is that the vaccine is dry 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and when it's dry it doesn't need refrigeration. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Within my lab theres we can keep the vaccine stored 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 at twenty-three degree's celcius for more than a year 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 without any loss 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That's an important improvement. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (Applause) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We're delighted about it as well. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And the thing about it is that we've well and truly proven 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the Nanopatch within the laboratory setting. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And as a scientist, I love that and I love science. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 However, as an engineer, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 as a biomedical engineer and also as a human being, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'm not going to be satisfied until we've rolled this thing out 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and taken it out of the lab and got it to people in large numbers 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 particularly the people who need it the most. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So we've commenced this particular journey 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we've commenced it in a rather unusual way 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We've started with Papua New Guinea. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now Papua New Guinea 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is an example of a developing world country 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and its about the same size as France 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but it suffers from many of the key barriers 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 existing within the world of todays vaccines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There's logistics: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Within this country there are only 800 refrigerators 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to keep vaccines chilled. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Many of them are old like this one in Port Moresby. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Many of them are breaking down 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and many of them are not in the Highlands 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 where they are required. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That's a challenge. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But also, Papua New Guinea has the worlds highest incidence 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of HPV, Human Papilloma Virus, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the cervical cancer vaccine 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yet, that vacccine is not available in large numbers 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 because it's too expensive. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So for those two reasons with the attributes of the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we've got into field 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and worked with the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and taken it to Papua New Guinea 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we'll be following that up shortly. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now doing this kind of work is not easy. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's challenging, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but there's nothing else in the world I'd rather be doing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And as we look ahead 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'd like to share with you a thought — 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's the thought of a future where 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the 17 million deaths per year that we currently have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 due to infectious disease is a historical footnote. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And it's a historical footnote that has been achieved 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 by radically improved vaccines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now standing here today in front of you 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 at the birthplace of the needle and syringe 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a device that's 160 years old 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'm presenting to you an alternative approach 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that could really help make that happen 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and it's the Nanopatch 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with it's attributes of being needle-free, pain-free 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the ability for removing the cold chain 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and improving the immunogenicity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thank you. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (Applause)