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Laser-Engineered Dissolving Microneedle Arrays for Transdermal Macromolecular Drug Delivery

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ABSTRACT

Purpose

To assess the feasibility of transdermal macromolecule delivery using novel laser-engineered dissolving microneedles (MNs) prepared from aqueous blends of 20% w/w poly(methylvinylether maleic anhydride) (PMVE/MA) in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

Micromoulding was employed to prepare insulin-loaded MNs from aqueous blends of 20% w/w PMVE/MA using laser-engineered moulds. To investigate conformational changes in insulin loaded into MNs, circular dichroism spectra were obtained. In vitro drug release studies from MNs across neonatal porcine skin were performed using Franz diffusion cells. The in vivo effect of MNs was assessed by their percutaneous administration to diabetic rats and measurement of blood glucose levels.

Results

MNs loaded with insulin constituted exact counterparts of mould dimensions. Circular dichroism analysis showed that encapsulation of insulin within polymeric matrix did not lead to change in protein secondary structure. In vitro studies revealed significant enhancement in insulin transport across the neonatal porcine skin. Percutaneous administration of insulin-loaded MN arrays to rats resulted in a dose-dependent hypoglycaemic effect.

Conclusion

We demonstrated the efficacy of MNs prepared from aqueous blends of PMVE/MA in transdermal delivery of insulin. We are currently investigating the fate of the delivered insulin in skin and MN-mediated delivery of other macromolecules.

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Abbreviations

BGL:

blood glucose level

BSA:

bovine serum albumin

CD:

circular dichroism

MN:

microneedle

PMVE/MA:

poly(methylvinylether) maleic anhydride

SC :

stratum corneum

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by BBSRC grant number BB/E020534/1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK

    Katarzyna Migalska, Desmond I. J. Morrow, Martin J. Garland, Raj Thakur, A. David Woolfson & Ryan F. Donnelly

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  1. Katarzyna Migalska
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  2. Desmond I. J. Morrow
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  3. Martin J. Garland
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  4. Raj Thakur
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  5. A. David Woolfson
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  6. Ryan F. Donnelly
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryan F. Donnelly.

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Migalska, K., Morrow, D.I.J., Garland, M.J. et al. Laser-Engineered Dissolving Microneedle Arrays for Transdermal Macromolecular Drug Delivery. Pharm Res 28, 1919–1930 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-011-0419-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-011-0419-4

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