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Updated: Feb 16, 2026
08:15
Polymeric Microneedle Array Fabrication by Photolithography
Published on: November 17, 2015
13.0K
An update on coating/manufacturing techniques of microneedles
Tamara N Tarbox1, Alan B Watts2, Zhengrong Cui2
1College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX, USA. tamara.tarbox@austin.utexas.edu.
Drug Delivery and Translational Research
|December 31, 2017
Summary
Dissolving polymeric microneedles show promise in early human trials. Further research is needed to address polymer accumulation and scale up manufacturing for widespread clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Microneedle technology offers tunable drug delivery strategies.
- Early human trials for dissolving polymeric microneedles are successful.
- Challenges remain in clinical translation, including polymer accumulation and manufacturing scalability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in scalable microneedle manufacturing and coating techniques.
- To analyze methods for overcoming limitations in current microneedle production.
- To identify potentially commercially viable production strategies for microneedle devices.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on microneedle manufacturing and coating.
- Analysis of techniques including micromilling, atomized spraying, inkjet printing, and 3D printing.
- Evaluation of scalable production methods like continuous liquid interface production.
Main Results:
- Several novel techniques show potential for scalable microneedle production.
- Micromolding faces limitations due to resource-intensive mold fabrication and batch processing.
- New coating methods offer improved efficiency and scalability over traditional processes.
Conclusions:
- Scalable manufacturing is crucial for the widespread adoption of microneedle technology.
- Advanced techniques like continuous liquid interface production and 3D printing offer promising alternatives.
- Further investigation into polymer behavior and optimized manufacturing is essential for clinical translation.
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