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Transdermal Microneedles—A Materials Perspective

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Abstract

Transdermal drug delivery is an emerging field in the pharmaceutical remit compared with conventional methods (oral and parenteral). Microneedle (MN)-based devices have gained significant interest as a strategy to overcome the skin’s formidable barrier: the stratum corneum. This approach provides a less invasive, more efficient, patient friendly method of drug delivery with the ability to incorporate various therapeutic agents including macromolecules (proteins and peptides), anti-cancer agents and other hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds. This short review attempts to assess the various materials involved in the fabrication of MNs as well as incorporation of other excipients to improve drug delivery for novel medical devices. The focus will be on polymers, metals and other inorganic materials utilised for MN drug delivery, as well as their application, limitations and future work to be carried out.

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Abbreviations

Au:

Gold

CMNs:

Coated microneedles

DAB:

Droplet air born

DMNs:

Dissolved microneedles

EHDA:

Electrohydrodynamic atomisation

FDA:

Food and drug

GMNs:

Glass microneedles

HA:

Hyaluronic acid

HFMNs:

Hydrogel forming microneedles

HMNs:

Hollow microneedle

IF:

Interstitial fluid

ISG:

Inorganic silica glass

MSN:

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles

MNS:

Metal microneedles

ODD:

Oral drug delivery

PCL:

Polycaprolactone

Pd:

Palladium

PDMS:

Polydimethylsiloxane

PLA:

Polylactic acid

PLGA:

Poly-lactic glycolic acid

PMMA:

Poly(methyl methacrylate)

PS:

Polystyrene

PVA:

Polyvinyl alcohol

PVP:

Polyvinylpyrrolidone

SC:

Stratum corneum

SMNs:

Solid microneedles

TDD:

Transdermal drug delivery

Ti:

Titanium

TP:

Transdermal patches

ZMNs:

Zeolite microneedles

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, LE1 9BH, UK

    R. Ali, P. Mehta, MS Arshad & Z. Ahmad

  2. Institute of Nanotechnology, Gebze Technical University, 41400, Gebze, Turkey

    I. Kucuk

  3. Nanotechnology and Integrated Bioengineering Centre, University of Ulster, Jordanstown Campus, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, BT37 0QB, UK

    M-W Chang

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  1. R. Ali
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  2. P. Mehta
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  3. MS Arshad
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  4. I. Kucuk
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  6. Z. Ahmad
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Correspondence to Z. Ahmad.

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Ali, R., Mehta, P., Arshad, M. et al. Transdermal Microneedles—A Materials Perspective. AAPS PharmSciTech 21, 12 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-019-1560-3

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