The Biotechnology Training Program is pleased to present the following seminar by Kathryn Kosuda:

Engineering Improved Access to Medicines: Microneedle Array Patch Development and the Journey to Commercialization

Microneedle array patches (MAPs) have the potential to fundamentally transform the way we access medicines. Simple, self-administration at home and sharps-free disposal enables a better patient experience, while cold-chain free storage and distribution lowers costs and broadens access. In this seminar, the technical foundation and advances in MAP development will be reviewed along with a discussion of the technical, regulatory, and commercial scale manufacturing challenges associated with bringing a novel drug/device product to market. Terrestrial Bio's MAP platform, which employs a dissolving microneedle design whereby drug-loaded tips are deployed into the skin, has been engineered to address the central challenge of consistent delivery of clinical doses. The science supporting the platform utility across therapeutics and vaccines will be presented, in the context of a biotech startup journey to commercialization.

With a background in chemistry and nanomaterials, Kathryn has focused on the translation of academic research breakthroughs into impactful products, working across disciplines of biology, chemistry, and engineering. Prior to co-founding Terrestrial, Kathryn was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology at Harvard. Kathryn began her career in research and development at Merck. She holds a BA in chemistry from Colby College and a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Northwestern University.