PharmaJet, WHO and BMGF Conduct Somalia Polio Vaccination Campaign

Needle-free injection chosen for improved coverage and user preference

GOLDEN, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PharmaJet^®, the maker of innovative, needle-free injection technology, today announced that its Tropis^® intradermal needle-free injection system is being used in a campaign in Somalia delivering inactivated polio vaccine to more than 110,000 children. The purpose of the campaign, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, using PharmaJet’s needle-free delivery product, supplied by the World Health Organization (WHO), is to ensure children under 5 who missed their routine immunization, receive their full regimen of inactivated polio vaccine. A second dose will be given with the PharmaJet Topis device after one month.

The PharmaJet needle-free system was chosen for the Somalia campaign because the published data¹ demonstrated improved coverage and user preferences. Additionally, fractional dose delivery, enabled by Tropis, provides a cost-saving alternative to traditional delivery methods and can extend limited stocks. PharmaJet experts provided a Training of Trainers education seminar in Mogadishu in early September to build a pool of competent instructors from the Somalia Ministry of Health, WHO, and UNICEF who then trained regional healthcare leaders throughout the campaign regions.

In Somaliland, 100% of responses from caregivers surveyed reported they would be more likely to bring their child for vaccination in a future campaign that used needle-free injectors, citing the child’s positive response to needle-free vaccination as the main reason. Of the healthcare workers surveyed, 100% said that using needle-free injectors could increase vaccination rates.

Chris Cappello, President and CEO, PharmaJet, said, “We are pleased to be part of the polio immunization efforts in Somalia to eradicate this terrible disease. Our field experience in Pakistan showed a strong preference for the PharmaJet Tropis system, citing ease and speed of use, and children’s response to the vaccination with less crying and discomfort. Importantly, mean vaccine coverage showed a nearly 20% increase over previous campaigns when using the PharmaJet system.”

For more information about PharmaJet visit www.pharmajet.com.

Refer to Instructions for Use to ensure safe injections and to review risks.

¹ Pakistan campaign, data on file

About PharmaJet

PharmaJet’s mission is to improve people’s lives through needle-free technology. PharmaJet Needle-free Systems provide increased vaccine effectiveness, a preferred patient and caregiver experience, and a proven path to commercialization. They are also safe, fast, and easy-to-use. The Stratis^® System has U.S. FDA 510(k) marketing clearance, CE Mark, and WHO PQS certification to deliver medications and vaccines either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The Tropis^® System has CE Mark and WHO PQS certification for intradermal injections. For more information visit www.pharmajet.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About World Polio Day

World Polio Day is observed on the 24th of October every year with the purpose of developing increased polio awareness and actions that can be taken to eradicate the disease. The Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent since their first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Their advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort. For more information go to endpolio.org.