Plasmon-Mediated Transdermal Ultrasonic Photo-Elastic Patch for Efficient Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Dermatology

Background:

• Transdermal drug delivery is limited by the stratum corneum.
• Current methods require chemical enhancers or cumbersome wired sonophoresis devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a flexible, laser-activated patch for enhanced transdermal drug delivery.
• To investigate the patch's ability to generate ultrasound and improve skin permeation.

Main Methods:

• A compact patch with a gold film opto-acoustic transducer was developed.
• The patch converts optical pulses into mid-frequency ultrasound to create cavitation.
• Multiphysics modeling and ex vivo porcine skin assays were used for evaluation.

Main Results:

• The patch generated significant acoustic pressures, confirmed by modeling and experiments.
• A 3-minute exposure increased niacinamide flux eight- to tenfold and penetration to 450 microns.
• Vitamin C penetration reached 650 microns with minimal temperature increase (<3°C).

Conclusions:

• The laser-activated cavitation patch is a promising platform for transdermal delivery.
• Its battery-free, scalable design supports on-demand dermatological and cosmeceutical applications.