Recent advances in microneedles for drug delivery and theranostic application

Abstract

The microneedle (MN) devices has attracted significant attention in recent years. Its notable features are painless delivery, minimally invasive, effective treatment outcomes, precise delivery, and safety. The MN works by creating tiny pathways in the skin to facilitate faster absorptions of actives in the skin. It has shown promise in delivering a wide range of therapeutics, including small molecules, biologics, and vaccines. It has also been used in theranostic and diagnostics applications, which can provide valuable insights into treatment efficacy and disease progression, enabling personalized and optimized therapeutic interventions. Clinical studies have validated the effectiveness and safety of MN in various diseases. For instance, MN-based insulin delivery systems have demonstrated improved glycaemic control and reduced hypoglycaemic events in patients with diabetes mellitus. Likewise, MN patches have shown enhanced immune responses compared to traditional needle injections, offering a promising approach to vaccine delivery. These studies underscore the potential of MN in healthcare delivery by offering minimally invasive and patient-friendly solutions. However, the MN filed is evolving as new types of MN systems are being developed, such as 4D MN technologies, separable MN patches, hybrid microneedle, smart microneedles, etc. These advancements aim to further enhance drug delivery and theranostics capabilities, enable controlled release kinetics, and optimize tissue penetration for improved therapeutic outcomes.