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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
10:51
Microscale Vortex-assisted Electroporator for Sequential Molecular Delivery
Published on: August 7, 2014
Microporation applications for enhancing drug delivery.
1Mercer University, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. banga_ak@mercer.edu
Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery
|April 8, 2009
Summary
Microporation technologies create skin microchannels for delivering large molecules, revolutionizing biopharmaceutical and vaccine delivery despite commercialization challenges.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Biomaterials and Drug Delivery
Background:
- Transdermal drug delivery is limited for hydrophilic macromolecules.
- Microporation offers a novel pathway for enhanced molecule transport across the skin barrier.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review microporation technologies for transdermal delivery of water-soluble molecules and macromolecules.
- To discuss companies, challenges, and future potential of these innovative drug delivery systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of technologies including mechanical microneedles, thermal, radiofrequency, and laser ablation for skin microporation.
- Analysis of commercialization hurdles such as skin elasticity, immunogenicity, and pore closure kinetics.
Main Results:
- Microporation technologies enable passive delivery of hydrophilic macromolecules, overcoming previous limitations.
- Several companies are actively developing and commercializing these advanced transdermal systems.
Conclusions:
- Microporation technologies show significant promise for revolutionizing transdermal drug delivery, particularly for biopharmaceuticals.
- Considerations for bioavailability and cost-effective applications like mass immunization with coated microneedles are highlighted.
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