Fluzone® intra-dermal (Intanza®/Istivac® Intra-dermal): An updated overview

Abstract

Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory acute viral disease which imposes a very heavy burden both in terms of epidemiology and costs, in the developed countries as well as in the developing ones. It represents a serious public health concern and vaccination constitutes an important tool to reduce or at least mitigate its burden. Despite the existence of a broad armamentarium against influenza and despite all the efforts and recommendations of international organisms to broaden immunization, influenza vaccination coverage is still far from being optimal. This, taken together with logistic and technical difficulties that can result into vaccine shortage, makes intra-dermal (ID) vaccines, such as Fluzone® ID and Intanza®, particularly attractive. ID vaccines are comparable and, in some cases, superior to intra-muscular/sub-cutaneous vaccines in terms of immunogenicity, safety, reactogenicity, tolerability and cross-protection profiles, as well as in terms of patient preference, acceptance and vaccine selection. Further advances, such as Fluzone® ID with alternative B strains and Quadrivalent Fluzone® ID or the possibility of self-administering the vaccines, make influenza ID vaccines even more valuable.

Immunogenicity, safety and tolerability of intradermal influenza vaccines

“…This strategy of annual influenza vaccination is of utmost importance for elderly subjects with immunosenescence and immunocompromised patients for various reasons. Further studies with topical imiquimod pretreatment and improved microneedle with prefilled full-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine might attract more clinical practitioners, 62 the general public and health care workers to adopt the ID vaccination.…”

Technological Approaches for Improving Vaccination Compliance and Coverage

“…Skin or (trans)cutaneous vaccination is a route of immunisation mediated by topical, intradermal (ID) or intraepidermal delivery [92]. In line with global aspirations to expand vaccination coverage, cutaneous vaccines are regarded as a promising option for overcoming diverse issues, from vaccine safety and reactogenicity to patient preferences [93]. As an immunocompetent and multi-functional organ, the skin appears to be highly susceptible to certain vaccine adjuvants, resulting in enhanced immunogenicity and allowing the reduction in antigen dose and immunisation frequency [94].…”

Nanodermatology‐based solutions for psoriasis: State‐of‐the art and future prospects

“…This system is known as “skin immune system” or SIS. Skin also guests skin‐associated lymphoid tissues (SALTs), that has the function to process and present skin antigens to lymph nodes (Abdallah, Mijouin, & Pichon, ; Bragazzi, Orsi, Ansaldi, Gasparini, & Icardi, ; Casey, ; Dragicevic & Maibach, ; Oláh, Szöllősi, & Bíró, ; Park & Kim, ; Yazdi, Röcken, & Ghoreschi, ). A clear understanding of SIS and SALTs is of crucial importance for a proper understanding of the mechanisms of intra‐dermal (ID) vaccination and related immunization practices, as well as of the response to nanotherapeutic agents (Bragazzi et al, ).…”