Micron Biomedical

Micron Biomedical operates as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing its proprietary microarray patch technology for drug and vaccine delivery. Founded in 2014 by Mark Prausnitz, Devin McAllister, and Sebastien Henry, the Atlanta-based firm emerged from research conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Prausnitz, a Regents' Professor at Georgia Tech, is a pioneer in microneedle research, having published extensively and co-founded multiple companies in the field. His work, along with that of co-founders Dr. McAllister and Mr. Henry, who also have backgrounds in chemical and bioengineering from Georgia Tech, forms the scientific foundation of the company.

The core of the business is a needle-free, dissolvable microarray technology designed to administer pharmaceuticals through the skin. This "peel & stick" applicator features microscopic needles that penetrate the skin's upper layers to deliver vaccines or drugs quickly and painlessly. A key feature is the technology's ability to formulate medicines to be thermostable, which significantly reduces or eliminates the need for cold-chain refrigeration during transport and storage—a major logistical barrier in global health. The product allows for self-administration or administration by caregivers with minimal training, simply by pressing a button, and it produces no sharps waste.

The company's business model involves developing its own pharmaceutical products and partnering with other pharmaceutical companies, governments, and non-governmental organizations. Its clients range from large biopharma to global health entities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the CDC, and BARDA. Revenue generation is anticipated through product sales and licensing agreements once its products receive regulatory approval. Micron has secured significant funding through a combination of grants and venture capital, including a Series A round that raised over $33 million, to expand its commercial manufacturing capabilities. The company is advancing several products through clinical trials, including needle-free vaccines for Measles-Rubella and Rotavirus, and is collaborating on an mRNA-based flu vaccine.

Keywords: microneedle patch, drug delivery, vaccine administration, biopharmaceutical, thermostable, clinical-stage, needle-free, self-administration, global health, microarray technology