A Comprehensive Design-to-skin Pipeline to Fabricate Polymeric Microneedles Using Ultrahigh-resolution 3D Printing

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Intradermal drug delivery offers advantages over traditional routes.
• Microneedle technology presents a promising strategy for enhanced drug administration.
• Optimization of microneedle design is crucial for effective intradermal delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a comprehensive workflow for fabricating polymeric microneedle arrays.
• To utilize ultrahigh-resolution 3D printing and silicone mould fabrication.
• To systematically optimize microneedle designs for intradermal drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of over 75 distinct microneedle designs using ultrahigh-resolution 3D printing.
• Creation of a comprehensive toolbox of microneedle designs from acrylic.
• Systematic assessment of design parameters including shape, length, diameter, and density.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of diverse microneedle array designs.
• Identification of optimal design parameters for effective penetration of ex vivo human skin.
• Demonstration of the workflow's capability for systematic comparison of design parameters.

Conclusions:

• The developed workflow enables systematic optimization of microneedle designs.
• Ultrahigh-resolution 3D printing is a viable approach for microneedle fabrication.
• This method holds potential for optimizing microneedles in biomedical applications like cancer vaccination.