# Development of a Needle Free Microarray Patch for Delivery of a GLP-1 Receptor Agonist

> **NIH NIH R43** · VAXESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. · 2024 · $335,410

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Over 400 million adults worldwide are living with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Despite significant
advancements in effective treatments, T2D continues to rise at a concerning rate, and by 2035 it
is projected that there will be >590 million patients diagnosed globally with this condition- making it
one of the costliest chronic health conditions for patients and society. Glucagon-like peptide-1
receptor agonists (GLP- 1 RA) have revolutionized the treatment of T2D because they provide
substantial reductions in HbA1c as well as addressing the underlying metabolic dysfunction of
obesity that both can cause and complicate the management of diabetes. Regimens that
provide sustained plasma levels of GLP-1 RA provide optimal therapeutic effects and this has led
to the development of formulations and/or modifications of the native sequence aimed at
extending the peptide half-life. Semaglutide is a long acting GLP-1 analogue with low renal
clearance and a long elimination half-life. This is achieved by engineering the peptide to avoid
renal clearance and enzymatic degradation. While these modifications have reduced treatment
frequency from daily to weekly, poor adherence linked to perceived treatment complexity and
needle fear remains a general problem. These barriers highlight the critical need for new modes
of GLP-1 RA delivery. This proposal seeks to address these limitations by exploring use of the
MIMIXTM platform to enable simple and effective GLP-1 RA delivery. The MIMIX platform is a
clinically demonstrated, novel microneedle array patch (MAP) characterized by slowly dissolving
microneedle tips that ‘deploy’ into the dermis following patch application. The platform further
utilizes novel excipients such as silk fibroin to stabilize and support sustained release of
therapeutics and vaccines from the deployed tips. The shelf stability achieved with this platform
could enable MIMIX devices to be shipped through standard mail to enable self-application. The
potential for a sustained release formulation could reduce treatment frequency. Additionally, the
MIMIX MAP is delivered using a spring-loaded applicator, a feature that will simplify perception of
treatment complexity. In sum, we hypothesize that the MIMIX platform can be a new mode of
GLP-1 RA delivery that is 1) needle free to address the treatment hesitancy associated with
needle avoidance 2) shelf stable to facilitate home delivery and storage and 3) applied with a
spring-loaded applicator to enable self-application. These features will enhance the patient
experience and help to improve adherence to treatment. Our preliminary work has demonstrated
good compatibility of the GLP-1 RA, semaglutide, with the MIMIX production process. Successful
completion of the activities in this proposal will build on these results and will form the initial steps
towards identification of lead candidates for further development with the ultimate goal of
developing a product that reduces the gl...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11068410
- **Project number:** 1R43DK142429-01
- **Recipient organization:** VAXESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Lynda Tussey
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $335,410
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-16 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11068410

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11068410, Development of a Needle Free Microarray Patch for Delivery of a GLP-1 Receptor Agonist (1R43DK142429-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11068410. Licensed CC0.

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