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Microneedles: Characteristics, Materials, Production Methods and Commercial Development
Amina Tucak1, Merima Sirbubalo1, Lamija Hindija1
1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Micromachines
|October 30, 2020
Summary
Microneedles (MNs) offer a minimally invasive way to deliver drugs through the skin, overcoming limitations of traditional transdermal drug delivery systems (DDS). This review covers MN characteristics, materials, and production for diverse applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
Background:
- Transdermal drug delivery systems (DDS) offer advantages like avoiding gastric irritation and first-pass metabolism, improving patient compliance.
- However, only a limited number of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are suitable for traditional DDS.
- Microneedles (MNs) have emerged as a promising technology for effective transdermal delivery, penetrating the skin barrier minimally invasively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of microneedle (MN) characteristics.
- To review material compositions used in MN fabrication.
- To discuss the production methods and commercial development of MN-based drug and vaccine delivery systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on microneedle technology.
- Analysis of different manufacturing techniques for MNs and their molds.
- Examination of material science aspects relevant to MNs.
- Survey of commercialization trends and applications.
Main Results:
- Microneedles enable painless and minimally invasive transdermal drug delivery.
- Various manufacturing methods allow cost-effective production of MNs.
- MN technology is evolving for drug delivery, vaccinations, and diagnostics.
Conclusions:
- Microneedles represent a significant advancement in transdermal drug delivery systems.
- Continued innovation in materials and manufacturing is driving the commercial development of MN-based products.
- MNs offer a versatile platform for various biomedical applications beyond drug delivery.
