# Injectable Hydrogel Depots for Self-replicating mRNA Vaccine Delivery

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2022 · $540,184

## Abstract

While Staphylococcus aureus (SA) commonly asymptomatically colonizes the skin and nose of healthy
humans, severe disease can result from infection of the blood, bone, skin, and lungs, as well as sites of
catheters and prosthetic devices. With currently approved therapy, about one-third of patients diagnosed with
SA bacteremia succumb, accounting for more annual deaths than HIV, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis
combined. This R01 will develop an injectable vaccine depot comprising: (a) previously published cationic
polymers to condense and charge neutralize anionic self-replicating mRNA (SR-mRNA) vaccines into
nanometer-sized particles (i.e., “polyplexes”) that are then incorporated within (b) our recently reported
injectable biodegradable gel of N-succinyl-chitosan (S-CS) and oxidized alginate (O-Alg). Ultimately, the
temporary CS-Alg depots completely biodegrade into non-toxic by-products that are eliminated. This project
will generate a self-immunizing biomaterials technology that is applied ONCE that is superior in immunization
versus repeated systemic bolus injections.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10438409
- **Project number:** 1R01AI162840-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** James D. Bryers
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $540,184
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-12 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10438409

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10438409, Injectable Hydrogel Depots for Self-replicating mRNA Vaccine Delivery (1R01AI162840-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10438409. Licensed CC0.

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