Israeli startup NanoPass has signed a strategic agreement with Korean MEMS manufacturer Micro2Nano to develop a mass production infrastructure for the world’s smallest needles.
NanoPass’ tiny needle is less than a millimeter long, only about 0.6 mm, and can be installed on standard syringes. It allows intracutaneous injection to be performed in a simple and high-precision manner.
NanoPass is aimed at three main applications: vaccines, including corona and flu vaccines, gentle aesthetic treatments such as Mesobotox and Plasma treatments (PRP), allergy test diagnoses, and tuberculosis vaccines.
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Another advantage of such a flat intradermal injection into the top layer of skin (dermis) is that the injection is not painful at all since there is no damage to nerve cells.
Minimizing the pain sensation may be of great significance for patients with type 1 diabetes, for example, who are required to inject insulin several times a day, and in carrying out vaccinations in children and people suffering from needle anxiety.
This method is called intradermal, and has clinical advantages over subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, as the injection into the skin elicits a better immune response and the substance is absorbed faster.
Studies show that intracutaneous injection can use less medical material, but existing needles are a complex procedure that requires great skill.
Preliminary trials conducted by the company have found that injecting insulin into the skin accelerates the body’s response to the substance, and this may allow the diabetic to perform the injection closer to mealtime.
The needle is made of silicone and has a hollow pyramid-like three-dimensional structure. The production of the structure is possible only through MEMS technology, which is a common manufacturing method in the world of chips and is used to manufacture tiny mechanical devices, such as acceleration sensors, mirrors for special displays, and the like.
The two companies have been collaborating for several years in the development of production technology, and the agreement is part of the acceleration in the commercialization of the NanoPass product.
M2N’s production infrastructure will enable NanoPass to produce millions of units a year. The complete system is complex and manufactured in Israel by the medical production contractor Elcam Medical, which is owned by Kibbutz Baram, and TAV Medical from Shlomi, northern Israel.
NanoPass has so far performed about 60 clinical trials in the United States, Europe, and Israel, designed to test the safety and clinical efficacy of the needle. About 7,500 patients who received about 30,000 injections participated in these trials.
The tiniest needle is approved for use by the FDA.
