Microneedle Patch Technology
The GelMA-MN delivery technology was invented and developed by the members of the Khademhosseini Lab at UCLA. Studies have shown that GelMA can be used for the fabrication of MN arrays and the delivery of both water-soluble and insoluble drugs with desirable release profiles. GelMA is derived from the natural polymer gelatin with crosslinkable methacrylate group making it an ideal candidate for MN fabrication and various other biomedical applications. The GelMA-MNs are biocompatible and biodegradable, can efficiently penetrate the stratum corneum layer (outer layer of the skin), enable flexible drug load capacity and combinations, and control-release delivery. MNs are considered as a promising way to achieve systemic effects by transdermal delivery of drugs. In addition to applications on the skin, MNs may be applied in other organs and tissues like the eyes and mucosal surfaces. MNs are minimally invasive, painless, and may overcome the potential drawbacks of oral administration, subcutaneous injections and other transdermal delivery systems.
References:
- Luo Z, Sun W, Fang J, et al. Biodegradable Gelatin Methacryloyl Microneedles for Transdermal Drug Delivery. Adv Healthc Mater. 2019;8(3):e1801054. doi:10.1002/adhm.201801054.
- Zhou X, Luo Z, Baidya A, et al. Biodegradable β-Cyclodextrin Conjugated Gelatin Methacryloyl Microneedle for Delivery of Water-Insoluble Drug. Adv Healthc Mater. 2020;9(11):e2000527. doi:10.1002/adhm.202000527
- Guillot AJ, Cordeiro AS, Donnelly RF, Montesinos MC, Garrigues TM, Melero A. Microneedle-Based Delivery: An Overview of Current Applications and Trends. Pharmaceutics. 2020;12(6):569. Published 2020 Jun 19. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics12060569