Rocket-Like Microneedle Patch for Sustained Hormone Therapy in Prostate Cancer

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Prostate cancer (PCa) presents a significant global health burden, driving the need for innovative therapeutic strategies.
• Current hormone therapies for PCa face challenges including poor patient compliance and treatment-associated discomfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a dual-layer rocket-like microneedle patch (RLMNP) for sustained hormone therapy in prostate cancer.
• To assess the efficacy of RLMNP in blocking androgen receptor signaling and suppressing androgen synthesis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a dual-layer RLMNP integrating a rapid-release layer (ZIF-8/bicalutamide) and a sustained-release layer (Alg-Tyr hydrogel/goserelin).
• Evaluation of RLMNP mechanical properties, skin penetration, and drug release kinetics.
• In vivo assessment of RLMNP efficacy in reducing tumor volume and extending survival in prostate cancer models.

Main Results:

• RLMNP demonstrated robust mechanical properties, efficient skin penetration, and controlled dual drug release.
• In vivo studies showed significant reduction in tumor volume and extended survival from 34 to 46 days.
• The RLMNP system effectively mitigated side effects associated with conventional hormone therapies.

Conclusions:

• RLMNP offers a promising, painless, and self-administered platform for sustained prostate cancer hormone therapy.
• This dual-action microneedle patch improves therapeutic outcomes and patient compliance.
• The developed RLMNP technology paves the way for broader applications of microneedle-based transdermal drug delivery in oncology.