Principle of microneedle technology
Microneedles can be classified into four types, depending on the drug-delivery method:
- Solid microneedles: They create temporary microchannels through the skin’s stratum corneum, enhancing the absorption of pharmaceutical formulations.
- Coated microneedles: A method of coating a drug formulation onto the needle, so that the drug is absorbed by the skin when the needle is inserted.
- Hollow microneedles: deliver specific drugs into the skin via inserted hollow needles.
- Soluble microneedles: The microneedles contain a drug that dissolves and releases the drug when it comes into contact with interstitial fluid in the skin.
The difference between non‑dissolvable microneedles and dissolvable microneedles
Non-soluble microneedles
Non‑dissolvable microneedles are a type in which the drug formulation is coated onto the tip of the needle, which is made from polymers such as PGA and PLA that have a proven track record in medical devices; they are well suited for expensive drugs and vaccines requiring ultra‑low‑volume administration.
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Soluble microneedles
Soluble microneedles operate by inserting the microneedles into the skin surface; the moisture in the skin dissolves the needles, enabling direct delivery of the drug into the underlying tissues or the lymphatic system. This approach facilitates rapid drug delivery and absorption, making it particularly suitable for high‑molecular‑weight drugs as well as peptide and protein therapeutics.
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Soluble microneedles have received recognition from a leading journal.
Dissolvable Microneedle Patches to Enable Increased Access to Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and Future Pandemic Outbreaks
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