Riboflavin-dissolving microneedles for the elimination of photodynamic bacterial biofilms

Bacterial biofilms pose severe public health challenges. Traditional treatment methods often face numerous challenges, such as inadequate drug absorption, reduced therapeutic effectiveness, and a higher likelihood of fostering drug-resistant pathogens. In addition, these therapies often require frequent administration, which can be burdensome to patients. Therefore, we developed a combination of riboflavin-dissolving microneedles (RBMNs) and photodynamic therapy to improve bacterial biofilm clearance. The results showed that our prepared microneedles exhibited good mechanical properties. Confocal laser microscopy showed that, with the use of microneedles, the drug could penetrate 389.93 μm under the skin. These results are sufficient for drug delivery to bacterial biofilms and photodynamic elimination of bacterial biofilms. In addition, RBMNs exhibited antimicrobial activity both in vivo and in vitro. The designed RBMNs is safe and effective for eliminating bacterial biofilms.