Advancing Noninvasive Therapeutic Drug Monitoring via a 3D Microstructured Aptasensing Platform

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) traditionally relies on invasive blood sampling, posing challenges for patient comfort and real-time data acquisition.
• Sweat analysis presents a promising noninvasive alternative for continuous health monitoring, aligning with personalized healthcare trends.
• Existing noninvasive methods often struggle with sensitivity and stability for detecting low analyte concentrations in complex biofluids like sweat.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel electrochemical aptamer-based (EAB) sensing platform for noninvasive TDM using sweat.
• To address the limitations of traditional TDM by enabling real-time, convenient monitoring of drug levels.
• To demonstrate the potential of the developed sensor for pharmacokinetic studies and personalized medicine.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of gold-coated 3D microstructured electrodes (MSEs) using macroporous silicon molds and flexible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS).
• Development of an electrochemical aptamer-based sensor integrated onto the MSE platform for analyte detection.
• Real-time quantification of vancomycin in artificial sweat, with performance evaluation against planar electrodes.

Main Results:

• The MSE EAB sensor demonstrated a 2-fold increase in current and a 3-fold signal gain compared to planar electrodes.
• Achieved rapid (<2 min), regenerable (up to 10 cycles), and precise (%RSD < 5%) quantification of vancomycin from 1-50 μM.
• MSEs exhibited superior stability and aptamer probe retention compared to planar electrodes, confirmed by kinetic and electrochemical analyses.

Conclusions:

• The novel MSE EAB sensor provides a robust and sensitive platform for noninvasive sweat analysis, overcoming key challenges in TDM.
• This technology enables accurate, real-time monitoring of narrow therapeutic index drugs, facilitating personalized treatment and minimizing toxicity.
• The developed sensor holds significant potential for advancing wearable health monitoring and pharmacokinetic studies outside traditional clinical settings.