A vaccine patch.  (Photo: Media Statement)

The state government of Queensland announced in a statement that the new facility, operated by biotechnology company Vaxxas, is expected to produce millions of needle-free vaccine patches in the next three to five years.

Unlike traditional needle-and-syringe delivery, the new vaccine patch technology can deposit a vaccine through the surface of the skin in just seconds.

Queensland's Deputy Premier Steven Miles said this world-renowned technology has the potential to play a vital role in pandemic-preparedness, because it allows vaccines to be deployed quickly and easily to communities.

In July last year, researchers from the University of Queensland tested the efficacy of Vaxxas' high-density microarray patch technology in COVID-19-infected mice.

Their findings, published in the Vaccine journal, indicated that vaccination via a patch has advantages in inducing high levels of neutralizing antibodies, while also demonstrating its potential to provide protection from emerging viral variants.