Novel microneedle patch may improve collagen delivery

A small adhesive patch topped with microneedles may allow clinicians to deliver collagen more deeply and without pain to the patient.

Researchers from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Science utilized a process based on photolithography to create a transdermal patch comprised of polymeric microneedles containing lidocaine. The transdermal delivery system allowed the lidocaine to be delivered into the skin within five minutes, according to a news release.

The needle shafts on the patch are about 600 micrometers long, which allows for drug delivery without any perceived pain by the patient, researchers noted. The patch uses a reservoir system that serves as channels for drugs to be contained in backing layers, helping to bypass the premature closure of the pores created by the patch’s microneedles.

The research team, led by Lifeng Kang, Ph.D., then tested the transdermal delivery system to determine whether it would be effective for placing collagen deep into the skin.

“The needles were shown to enhance permeation of collagen through cadaver rat skin, as compared to passive diffusion of collagen,” researchers wrote in the study published in Pharmaceutical Research.

The researchers plan to conduct clinical trials of the microneedle patch to further assess the efficacy of collagen delivery for skincare and cosmetic applications.

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