A 3D-Printed Modular Microreservoir for Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Reservoir-based microsystems are key to advanced drug delivery.
• Existing systems often integrate storing and pumping components.
• There is a need for modular, refillable storing components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a stand-alone, modular, thin, scalable, and refillable microreservoir platform.
• To serve as a storing component for implantable and transdermal drug delivery microsystems.
• To enable precise and efficient drug delivery with enhanced refill capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of three microreservoir capacities (1, 10, 100 µL) using stereolithography 3D-printing (3 mm thickness).
• Creation of a force-free dome-shaped storing membrane using parylene-C deposition over a polyethylene glycol sacrificial layer.
• Introduction of a septum pre-compression concept for a 1-mm-thick septum capable of numerous leak-free refills.

Main Results:

• Developed a modular microreservoir platform with capacities of 1, 10, and 100 µL.
• Achieved a force-free membrane with negligible forward/backward flow (2% of total volume).
• Realized a 1-mm-thick septum with ~65,000 leak-free refill punctures under 100 kPa backpressure.

Conclusions:

• The developed microreservoir platform is thin, scalable, and refillable, suitable for implantable and transdermal drug delivery.
• The force-free membrane and ultra-thin septum enhance drug delivery precision and device thickness.
• The platform has potential applications in animal and human drug delivery, sampling, and diagnostics.