Antimicrobial releasing hydrogel forming microneedles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Traditional antibiotic delivery methods face challenges like poor patient compliance and variable absorption.
• Transdermal drug delivery offers a minimally invasive alternative for controlled and sustained therapeutic agent release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize hydrogel-forming microneedles for transdermal delivery of antibiotics amoxicillin and vancomycin.
• To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and manufacturing feasibility of these novel microneedle systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D printed master templates for cost-effective micro-molding of hydrogel microneedles.
• Employed a room temperature swell/deswell method for rapid encapsulation of antibiotics.
• Assessed microneedle penetration, mechanical strength, and drug release kinetics using porcine skin grafts.

Main Results:

• Achieved high-resolution microneedle tips (down to 23 μm) through optimized 3D printing.
• Demonstrated effective encapsulation and controlled release of amoxicillin and vancomycin.
• Confirmed successful skin penetration with minimal damage and potent in vitro antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus.

Conclusions:

• Hydrogel-forming microneedles provide a promising platform for minimally invasive transdermal antibiotic delivery.
• This approach enables controlled drug release and maintains therapeutic antibiotic levels, offering an alternative to oral administration.
• The fabrication method is scalable, low-cost, and suitable for producing effective antibiotic-loaded microneedles.