PharmaJet Announces Implementation Study Results: Increased Coverage, Cost Savings, And Preference For Routine Polio Immunization With Tropis® ID Needle-free Delivery

By Angeline Mgbele, Bureau Chief, Northern Nigeria

PharmaJet® today announced the results of an implementation study in Nigeria that evaluated the impact on coverage, costs, and acceptability of intradermal fractional inactivated poliovirus vaccine (fIPV) administration using their Tropis® ID Needle-free System, compared to the standard of care (full-dose, IPV intramuscular delivery with needle and syringe). The study results were presented at an event attended by experts from the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), WHO, UNICEF, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Study principal investigators from the Nigeria National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Jhpiego, PATH, and Sydani Group reported increased coverage, decreased programme costs, and a strong preference for routine immunization using Tropis among healthcare workers:

•          Increased coverage: Among those vaccinated with Tropis, IPV2 coverage was 11.2 per cent higher compared to the standard of care. On a relative basis, the odds of receiving 2 doses of IPV are doubled when Tropis is used.

•          Decreased cost: Incremental cost savings with Tropis ranged from US$0.07 to US$1.00 per dose administered across the evaluated scenarios, with up to 47 per cent total immunization costs savings for IPV delivered with Tropis compared to IPV delivered by needle and syringe in a full-scale scenario. Switching to Tropis-delivered fIPV could save the Nigeria immunization programme ~US$50 million over 5-years.

•          Feasibility/scalability: Acceptability was high among caregivers whose children were vaccinated with Tropis and over 96 per cent said they would be more likely to return for future vaccinations if Tropis was used. 95 per cent of healthcare workers preferred Tropis needle-free over the standard of care citing reasons such as ease of operation, a safer alternative to needles, and its association with less discomfort by vaccine recipients.

The introduction of a second dose of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV2) is critical to addressing immunity gaps for poliovirus and to build and sustain resilience to eradicate all forms of poliovirus. The current coverage rate for a first dose of IPV (IPV1) for the Africa Region is 78 per cent while the IPV2 coverage rate is only 19 per cent.  “Through USAID investments in this study, we sought to generate in-country evidence on the acceptability, feasibility, and cost effectiveness of deploying this device,” said Health Population and Nutrition Office, USAID/Nigeria Gertrude Odezugo . “The intervention has allowed us to explore innovative strategies in vaccine delivery whilst addressing persistent challenges. It marks a significant step towards ensuring equitable and sustainable polio immunization coverage for Nigerian children.”

“This study provides solid evidence that Tropis needle-free is a tool that works very well within the routine immunization programme in areas that are at high risk for polio transmission. In addition, these new data build on recent published evidence from Nigeria that demonstrated Tropis’ ability to enable house-to-house campaigns,” noted Vice President of Global Business Development, PharmaJet Paul LaBarre. “On this World Polio Day 2024, we have enormous gratitude for our partners on this important study, and we reconfirm our commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.”