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Vaxxas Launches European Study to Explore Public Attitudes Toward Self-Administered Vaccine Delivery
- First activation study under the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) funded program will survey public perceptions and beliefs about vaccination and the acceptability of Vaxxas' high-density microarray delivery platform (HD-MAP)
- The study will assess how people in Germany, France and Italy interact with and perceive HD-MAP technology, examining key factors including ease of use and acceptability
- Self-administration could offer greater convenience for individuals while potentially reducing demands on healthcare resources and expanding access to vaccination in some settings
Brisbane, Queensland, AU and Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA – 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 AEDT
Australian biotechnology pioneer Vaxxas Pty Ltd has launched a new European study to assess how people perceive and interact with its HD-MAP technology as the company advances development of the needle-free platform for potential future self-administration.
As the first activation study under its HaDEA-funded European influenza vaccine program, the research will gather insights from participants in Germany, France and Italy to better understand public perceptions of vaccination, attitudes toward self-administration and factors that may influence future adoption of innovative vaccine delivery technologies.
The study forms part of Vaxxas' participation in the HaDEA-funded Influenza Vaccine Consortium, which includes SK bioscience and IDT Biologika, and is focused on advancing next-generation vaccine technologies. The study represents an important early milestone in Vaxxas' European program and broader efforts to understand factors that may influence future adoption of innovative vaccine delivery approaches.
David Peacock, Chief Executive Officer at Vaxxas, said, "As healthcare systems increasingly embrace more patient-centred and flexible models of care, understanding public attitudes toward self-administration is an important part of evaluating the future potential of innovative vaccine delivery technologies".
"This study will provide valuable insights into the factors that influence confidence, convenience and willingness to self-administer, helping us better understand how people may engage with novel approaches to vaccination and informing the ongoing development of our HD-MAP platform," he said.
Angus Forster, Chief Technology Officer at Vaxxas, said "Innovative technologies only create impact if they are designed with the end user in mind. Understanding how people perceive and interact with HD-MAP technology will provide important insights that complement our scientific and clinical development activities. These findings will help inform how the technology may be implemented in real-world settings in the future."
In February 2026, the Consortium was awarded a phase one tender by HaDEA on behalf of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) to advance Europe's preparedness for future seasonal and pandemic influenza threats. The initiative seeks to accelerate the development of next-generation influenza vaccines under the EU 2024 EU4Health Work Programme with up to A$250 million available across three competitive sequential phases.
Antje Ksienzyk, Sr. Director Global Portfolio & Strategy at IDT Biologika said "Healthcare innovations can onlyachieve their full potential if they are not only scientifically sound but also accepted by the people they are designed to benefit. This study will generate important insights into public perceptions of novel vaccine delivery technologies, helping to inform future development activities within the consortium. As project coordinator, we are pleased to contribute our expertise and to advance this important European initiative together with our partners."
The study findings are expected to contribute to the Consortium's broader research activities aimed at understanding how innovative vaccine technologies may be adopted and deployed in future vaccination programs.
About the HaDEA-funded program
The HaDEA Influenza Vaccine Consortium brings together IDT Biologika, Vaxxas and SK bioscience to support the development of next-generation influenza vaccines. Supported through a European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) and Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) initiative under the EU4Health program, the consortium is undertaking research and development activities to better understand future vaccine technologies and their potential role in improving public health. The participant research study described in this release forms part of the broader program and aims to better understand public perceptions of vaccination and the acceptability of innovative vaccine delivery technologies.
About Vaxxas
Vaxxas is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of its proprietary High-Density Microarray Platform (HD-MAP), a needle-free delivery technology with the potential to transform how vaccines are administered. Designed to be applied to the skin, the HD-MAP delivers vaccines using thousands of microscopic projections, targeting immune cells just beneath the skin surface. The technology has the potential to improve vaccine accessibility, simplify administration, reduce supply chain complexity and support future self-administration. The HD-MAP has been evaluated in multiple clinical trials involving more than 750 participants and has demonstrated safety, tolerability and robust immune responses. Vaxxas is advancing the platform across multiple vaccine applications from its headquarters in Brisbane, Australia.
About SK biosciences
SK bioscience is an innovative vaccine and biotech company, committed to vaccine development and manufacturing to enable more equitable access to vaccines around the world. Leveraging strengths on cutting-edge technologies, SK bioscience has been dedicated to promoting human health from prevention to cure across the globe. With the cooperation of domestic and international governments, regulatory agencies, healthcare providers, doctors, and medical experts, all of the SK colleagues are passionately committed to providing high-quality vaccines to those who need them and better public healthcare solutions.
SK bioscience Website
SK bioscience LinkedIn
About IDT Biologika
IDT Biologika, part of SK bioscience, is a globally operating CDMO specialising in end-to-end development and manufacturing of biologics, biosimilars, and other sterile injectables. With more than 100 years of biopharmaceutical expertise, the Company combines proven know-how with advanced platform technologies to support its partners' projects.
IDT's integrated services span the entire product lifecycle – from process development and drug substance manufacturing (cell culture and microbial systems) to clinical and commercial fill-finish, complemented by quality control, analytical testing, and packaging. The company supports protein- and antibody-based biologics and biosimilars, including vaccines, gene and immune therapeutics, oncolytic viruses, and other sterile injectables that help prevent and treat diseases worldwide.
Investigational Use Notice
HD‐MAP‐delivered vaccines are under investigation and are not approved for sale or purchase anywhere in the world. Vaxxas makes no claims regarding reliability, durability, dependability, safety, efficacy, or superiority to any other vaccine or vaccine delivery technology.
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