MACH-1 needle-free injector for a universal flu vaccine
Official title: Clinic-Ready MACH-1 Gene Gun for delivery of a universal influenza DNA vaccine
Funded at Orlance, INC. · NIH-11168940 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project makes a portable, needle-free device to give a universal flu DNA vaccine to people, aiming to provide broad protection against seasonal and new influenza strains.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Orlance, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $977,255 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AI179440-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11168940 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Early human testing would most likely enroll healthy adult volunteers who meet Phase 1 safety criteria and are willing to receive a new needle-free flu vaccine.
✕Less likely to help
People needing immediate protection, pregnant individuals, or those with certain immune disorders may not benefit in the near term because the work is focused on device development and early testing rather than broad rollout.
What this research studies
You would receive a DNA vaccine targeting parts of the flu virus shared across many strains, given in multiple doses to trigger both blood and mucosal immunity. The vaccine is coated onto tiny gold particles and delivered into the skin with a needle-free MACH-1 "gene gun" that the team is refining to be clinic-ready and easy to use. Previous work showed broad immune responses and protection in animals and nonhuman primates, and this project focuses on improving the device, its reproducibility, and readiness for early human use. Once device manufacturing and safety testing are complete, the team plans to move toward early human testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable a painless, low-dose vaccine that protects against many flu strains and helps reduce transmission.
How similar studies have gone: Gene-gun delivery of DNA vaccines has produced protective immune responses in animal studies and some early human work, but broad clinical use is still limited and this project seeks to advance that approach for clinic use.
Where this research is happening
-
Orlance, INC.
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Frizzell, Hannah — Orlance, INC.
- Study coordinator: Frizzell, Hannah
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.