Microprojection Array Immunization Patch and Method

• US 20090143724A1
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Young, Wendy A., Daddona, Peter E., Johnson, Juanita A., Cormier, Michel J.N., Matriano, James A.
• Application Number:
  US12/367,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20090143724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/47
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0021 Intradermal administration, e.g. through microneedle arrays, needleless injectors mechanical aspects A61M
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0046 Solid microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0061 Methods for using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/12 Antivirals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

Skin patches (20) having a microprojection array (10), a reservoir (18) containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, and methods of using same to vaccinate animals (e.g., humans) is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the microprojection arrays (10) are composed of a photoetched and micro-punched titanium foil (14). The microprojections (12) are coated with a liquid formulation containing a vaccine antigen and an adjuvant such as glucosaminyl muramyl dipeptide, dried, and applied to skin of the animal to be vaccinated using an impact applicator. The microprojections (12) create superficial pathways through the stratum corneum to facilitate permeation of antigenic agent and adjuvant. Antigen dose and depth of penetration can be controlled. This technology has broad applicability for a wide variety of therapeutic vaccines to improve efficacy, and convenience of use.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m; and

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

30. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour; and

wherein the immune response augmenting adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of aluminum phosphate gel, aluminum hydroxide, algal glucan, β

-glucan, cholera toxin B subunit, heat-shock proteins (HSPs), gamma inulin, GMDP (N-acetylglucosamine-(β

1-4)-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamine), GTP-GDP, Imiquimod, ImmTher™

(DTP-GDP), Loxoribine, MPL®

, MTP-PE, Murametide, Pleuran (beta-glucan), Murapalmitine, QS-21, S-28463 (4-Amino-α

,α

-dimethyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline-1-ethanol), Sclavo Peptide (IL-1β

163-171 peptide), and Theramide™

.

31. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein the adjuvant comprises glucosaminyl muramyl dipeptide;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

32. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein the array has a skin contact area and said reservoir has an antigenic agent loading of at least about 0.2 μ

g/cm² of the skin contact area of said array;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

33. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein said array has a skin contact area and said reservoir has an antigenic agent loading of at least about 2 μ

g/cm² of said skin contact area of said array;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

34. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein the antigenic agent is selected from the group consisting of proteins, polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lipoproteins, weakened or killed viruses, weakened or killed bacteria and mixtures thereof;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

35. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein said antigenic agent comprises a vaccine;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

36. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein said vaccine is selected from the group consisting of flu vaccines, Lyme disease vaccine, rabies vaccine, measles vaccine, mumps vaccine, chicken pox vaccine, small pox vaccine, hepatitis vaccine and diphtheria vaccine;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

37. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein said array is comprised of metal and includes an adhesive backing;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

38. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein said array has a skin contact area of up to about 5 cm²;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

39. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein the weight ratio of adjuvant loading to antigenic agent loading in the reservoir, is in the range of about 0.5;

1 to 50;

1;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

40. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein the weight ratio of adjuvant loading to antigenic agent loading in the reservoir, is in the range of about 1;

1 to 10;

1;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

41. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising:

a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein said reservoir comprises a dry solid coating on the microprojections;

wherein the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

42. An intradermal vaccine delivery device comprising, a microprojection array, the array having a plurality of stratum corneum piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to cut holes in the stratum corneum by piercing the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m;

a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, the reservoir being positioned relative to said microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with said holes; and

wherein said reservoir comprises a film laminated to said array;

wherein the device delivers at least 50% of the antigenic agent to the skin of a subject after the device is applied to the skin of the subject for one hour.

43. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin; and

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

44. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour; and

wherein the immune response augmenting adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of aluminum phosphate gel, aluminum hydroxide, algal glucan, β

-glucan, cholera toxin B subunit, heat-shock proteins (HSPs), gamma inulin, GMDP (N-acetylglucosamine-(β

1-4)-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamine), GTP-GDP, Imiquimod, ImmTher™

(DTP-GDP), Loxoribine, MPL®

, MTP-PE, Murametide, Pleuran (β

-glucan), Murapalmitine, QS-21, S-28463 (4-Amino-α

,α

-dimethyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline-1-ethanol), Sclavo Peptide (IL-1 β

163-171 peptide), and Theramide™

.

45. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein the adjuvant comprises glucosaminyl muramyl dipeptide;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

46. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein the array has a skin contact area and said reservoir has an antigenic agent loading of at least about 0.2.mu.g/cm² of the skin contact area of said array;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

47. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein said array has a skin contact area and said reservoir has an antigenic agent loading of at least about 2 μ

g/cm² of said skin contact area of said array;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

48. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein the antigenic agent is selected from the group consisting of proteins, polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lipoproteins, weakened or killed viruses, weakened or killed bacteria and mixtures thereof;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

49. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein said antigenic agent comprises a vaccine;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

50. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein said vaccine is selected from the group consisting of flu vaccines, Lyme disease vaccine, rabies vaccine, measles vaccine, mumps vaccine, chicken pox vaccine, small pox vaccine, hepatitis vaccine and diphtheria vaccine;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

51. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein said array is comprised of metal and includes an adhesive backing;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

52. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein said array has a skin contact area of up to about 5 cm²;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

53. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein the weight ratio of adjuvant loading to antigenic agent loading in the reservoir, is in the range of about 0.5;

1 to 50;

1;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

54. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500.mu.m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein the weight ratio of adjuvant loading to antigenic agent loading in the reservoir, is in the range of about 1;

1 to 10;

1;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

55. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein said reservoir comprises a dry solid coating on the microprojections, and wherein the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.

56. A method for vaccinating a mammal, comprising:

placing a microprojection array against a skin site of the mammal, said array having a plurality of skin-piercing microprojections, said microprojections having a size which is adapted to pierce the skin to a depth of less than about 500 μ

m, and a reservoir containing an antigenic agent and an immune response augmenting adjuvant, wherein the reservoir is in the form of a solid coating on the surfaces of the tips of the microprojections, and the coating is applied to the first 150 μ

m of the tip of the microprojections, said reservoir being positioned relative to the microprojections to be in agent and adjuvant transmitting relationship with cuts in the stratum corneum formed by the piercing microprojections;

causing said microprojections to pierce the skin;

delivering said antigenic agent and said adjuvant intradermally to the mammal from said reservoir; and

wherein said reservoir comprises a film laminated to said array;

wherein at least 50% of the antigenic agent is delivered to the skin of the mammal after the microprojection array is applied to the skin of the mammal for one hour.