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Polymer microneedles for controlled-release drug delivery
Jung-Hwan Park1, Mark G Allen, Mark R Prausnitz
1Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
Pharmaceutical Research
|May 23, 2006
Summary
Biodegradable polymer microneedles offer a novel approach for controlled drug delivery, suitable for patient self-administration. These microneedles effectively encapsulate drugs for sustained release in the skin over extended periods.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Conventional drug delivery methods like hypodermic injection have limitations.
- Controlled-release systems often require professional administration or implantation.
- There is a need for patient-friendly, self-administered drug delivery solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate biodegradable polymer microneedles for controlled drug release in the skin.
- To develop a self-administration method as an alternative to injections.
- To assess the encapsulation efficiency and release kinetics of drugs within microneedles.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) microneedle arrays using a mold-based technique.
- Encapsulation of model drugs (calcein and bovine serum albumin) via single or double encapsulation methods.
- Evaluation of mechanical strength for skin insertion and in vitro drug release studies.
Main Results:
- PLGA microneedles demonstrated sufficient mechanical strength for human skin insertion.
- Microneedles successfully encapsulated drugs up to 10% mass fraction.
- Controlled drug release kinetics ranging from hours to months were achieved, modeled by the Higuchi equation (r2 >= 0.90).
- Encapsulated bovine serum albumin (BSA) maintained its native protein structure post-fabrication.
Conclusions:
- Biodegradable polymer microneedles are a viable platform for controlled drug delivery directly into the skin.
- The encapsulation method allows for tunable drug release profiles.
- These microneedles offer a promising alternative for self-administered, long-term drug delivery.