As the world is getting more and more connected, our problems are getting more connected too. As we have seen in the past years the covid-19 virus spread through the world in no time. With a lot of money and effort, the wealthier countries of the world are beginning to control the spread. However, these measures will not be available for the entire world. Healthcare should be a fundamental human right and should be available for every person on earth!
So how can we make sure medication can reach every person on earth?
The only way this can become a reality is to make it cheaper. If we expect everyone to participate, we will have to fit within everyone’s budget. The biggest portion of the costs is the logistics and infrastructure needed to distribute the medicine. And the vaccine itself is also a reasonable part of the cost.
Microneedles
uPATCH has developed technology that uses microneedles to solve this problem. The microneedles are integrated into a medical patch which is so easy to use anybody will be able to do it. Because of this, no medical professionals will be needed to administer the vaccines. This has a huge impact on the resources needed for the infrastructure of such an operation.
Next to this, the vaccines in microneedles will be able to be stored at room temperature instead of the extreme refrigeration conditions necessary for many vaccines. This has a tremendous impact on the costs, especially considering the hardest to reach places for worldwide vaccinations often are warmer areas of the earth.
uPATCH is introducing two products; a re-usable patch applicator, the PLUS, and a single-use patch applicator, the ONE.
The coming period will be focused on getting these products CE and FDA approved. One clinical trial has already begun but more strategic partnerships are being set up for this. Once these clinical trials get going, production will need to be ramped up to supply the trials with enough applicators.
Support of Rabobank
This is where the Rabobank comes in! Rabobank has decided to help uPATCH with these next steps. Because of the Rabo-innovation Loan, uPATCH has the resources to reach out and form new strategic partnerships, make sure there is a sufficient supply of applicators for clinical trials, and take the first steps in the certification process. These are essential steps to be ready for the next investment round needed for market introduction.
