Under-the-tongue peptide vaccines and immune therapies
Sublingual Supramolecular Vaccines and Immunotherapies
This project develops easy-to-take, shelf-stable peptide vaccines placed under the tongue to help train the immune system for conditions such as autoimmune diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143626 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, this work aims to create a small tablet you can put under your tongue that delivers peptide-based vaccines without needles or refrigeration. The team is building on a tablet-based technology called SIMPL and will test how formulation and dosing affect the strength and type of immune response. They will use multifactorial design experiments to identify the key design rules that make sublingual vaccination stable, safe, and effective. The goal is a minimally reactogenic, self-administered platform that could reduce clinic visits and cold-chain needs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal future participants would include people with certain autoimmune conditions or those at risk for diseases targeted by peptide immunotherapies once safety is demonstrated.
Not a fit: People needing immediate or aggressive treatment, those with severe immune suppression, or individuals allergic to vaccine components may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide fridge-free, self-administered vaccines or immunotherapies that are more convenient and accessible for people with autoimmune or other immune-related conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Related sublingual and peptide vaccine approaches are early but have shown preclinical proof-of-concept, while human testing remains limited.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Collier, Joel H — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Collier, Joel H
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 below.