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Flexible surface acoustic wave technology for enhancing transdermal drug delivery
Jikai Zhang1, Duygu Bahar1, Hui Ling Ong1
1Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle, NE1 8ST, UK.
Drug Delivery and Translational Research
|August 6, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a flexible surface acoustic wave (SAW) patch for enhanced transdermal drug delivery of large molecules. The SAW patch successfully delivered macromolecules through skin surrogates, overcoming previous delivery challenges.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Transdermal drug delivery offers advantages over oral or injected routes, providing consistent drug concentrations and avoiding systemic toxicity.
- Enhancing skin penetration for large hydrophilic molecules remains a significant challenge for conventional and energized transdermal systems.
- Existing energized patches (microneedles, electrical, thermal, ultrasonic) face integration issues in wearable devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a flexible surface acoustic wave (SAW) patch platform for transdermal delivery of macromolecules.
- To assess the efficacy of SAW technology in delivering large molecules (up to 2000 kDa) through skin surrogates.
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying SAW-enhanced transdermal transport of macromolecules.
Main Methods:
- Development of a flexible surface acoustic wave (SAW) patch.
- Evaluation using agarose gel and porcine skin (stratum corneum) as human skin surrogates.
- Delivery of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran molecules ranging from 4 to 2000 kDa.
- Analysis of delivery depth and identification of transport mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Successful transdermal delivery of 2000 kDa molecules up to 1.1 mm in agarose gel.
- Delivery of 4-2000 kDa molecules to depths of 100 µm and 25 µm in porcine skin, respectively.
- Identified mechanisms include mechanical agitation, localized streaming, acousto-thermal effects, and potential acoustic cavitation.
- SAW-enhanced delivery is dependent on wave parameters, temperature, and molecular weight.
Conclusions:
- The flexible SAW patch platform effectively facilitates transdermal delivery of large macromolecules.
- SAW technology presents a promising alternative for overcoming barriers in transdermal delivery of biologics.
- Further optimization of SAW parameters can enhance therapeutic applications for wearable drug delivery systems.
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