Andernach – LTS, a leading pharmaceutical technology company, and BioNet, a biotech manufacturer specializing in genetically engineered vaccines, announced today their selection as a Concept Stage winner of the #PatchForwardPrize, a $50 million challenge by BARDA to advance microneedle patch-based RNA vaccine technologies. This recognition highlights the groundbreaking potential of their collaboration in mRNA vaccine development and delivery.
The Patch Forward Prize, part of the Project NextGen initiative led by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), aims to accelerate next-generation vaccine technologies. By fostering partnerships between vaccine developers and delivery platform innovators, the competition drives progress from concept to clinical stages, paving the way for transformative advancements in global health.
The partnership combines LTS’s proprietary dissolvable Microneedle Array Patch (MAP) technology with BioNet’s adaptable and highly immunogenic mRNA vaccine platform. Together, these innovations address critical challenges in vaccine stability, delivery, and adaptability, improving patient access and compliance for seasonal influenza vaccines while maintaining the flexibility to respond to pandemic strains.
Key Features of the LTS-BioNet Collaboration
- BioNet’s trivalent mRNA-LNP vaccine targets conserved regions of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins to provide broad immune protection against seasonal influenza strains.
- LTS’s precision MAP technology enhances vaccine delivery through its biodegradable microneedles, which dissolve quickly and painlessly, simplifying administration and potentially enabling dose-sparing benefits.
Winning the Concept Stage of the Patch Forward Prize propels LTS and BioNet into a collaborative effort to develop and test their innovative vaccine-platform combination. Launching in early Q1 2025, the program will begin with critical experiments to optimize the patch and vaccine formulation, setting the stage for preclinical validation and broader development
LTS CEO Bas van Buijtenen commented: “As a front-runner in drug delivery, we care passionately about solutions that provide better outcomes and better patient experience. We are grateful and proud that BARDA’s Patch Forward prize provides an opportunity to BioNet and LTS to create a breakthrough in vaccine administration. We look forward to delivering on the promise of the combination of our technologies through our joint program”.
BioNet CEO Hong Thai Pham added:
“We are delighted to partner with LTS and receive BARDA’s recognition for this innovative collaboration. Combining BioNet’s established and versatile vaccine mRNA platform with LTS’s microneedle technology, we aim to revolutionize vaccine development and delivery. This award underscores our commitment to combating seasonal influenza while ensuring adaptability to emerging threats, representing a transformative milestone in global vaccine accessibility and a significant advancement in public health innovation”.
For further information, please contact:
Dr Iris Schnitzler: iris.schnitzler@ltslohmann.com; https://www.ltslohmann.com
Bill Cadwallader: bcadwallader@bionet.one; https://bionet.one
About LTS LOHMANN Therapie-Systeme AG
We CARE. We CREATE. We DELIVER. The driving philosophy behind LTS. As a trusted technology partner for the pharmaceutical industry, we develop and manufacture innovative drug delivery systems such as Transdermal Patches (“TTS”) and Oral Thin Films (“OTF”) as well as wearable drug delivery devices (“OBDS”). LTS´ commercial offering encompasses more than 20 marketed products and a diverse pipeline of more than 40 development projects targeting multiple disease indications. LTS’s innovation pipeline contains both partner-funded as well as proprietary, LTS-funded projects. LTS maintains its leading position through the continuous refinement of its core TTS and OTF technologies and by advancing emerging drug delivery technologies, including Microneedle Array Patches (“MAP”) for the transdermal delivery of small and large molecules, biological actives and vaccines. With its SorrelTM wearable drug delivery platform LTS offers patient friendly solutions for complex drugs delivery at home. Founded in 1984, LTS operates today from four sites: in Andernach, Germany, West Caldwell, NJ, USA, St. Paul, MN, USA and Netanya, Israel. LTS has also a representative office in Shanghai, China.
About BioNet
BioNet is a global leader in advancing access to essential and next-generation vaccines. As the world’s only producer of licensed next-generation recombinant pertussis vaccines, BioNet provides innovative solutions to address the global resurgence of pertussis cases. Building on this foundation, the company is driving vaccine innovation through its proprietary mRNA technology platform, developing transformative solutions for critical public health challenges.
With comprehensive mRNA manufacturing capabilities and strategic collaborations with institutions such as UPenn, Duke, CEPI, PATH, BMGF, and BARDA, BioNet continues to expand its expertise across the entire vaccine lifecycle. Headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, and Lyon, France, with operational teams in the United States and Australia, BioNet is well-positioned to address global health challenges and deliver
