A Novel Integrated Transdermal Drug Delivery System with Micropump and Microneedle Made from Polymers

Transdermal drug delivery (TDD), which enables targeted delivery with microdosing possibilities, has seen much progress in the past few years. This allows medical professionals to create bespoke treatment regimens and improve drug adherence through real-time monitoring. TDD also increases the effectiveness of the drugs in much smaller quantities. The use of polymers in the drug delivery field is on the rise owing to their low cost, scalability and ease of manufacture along with drug and bio-compatibility. In this work, we present the design, development and characterization of a polymer-based TDD platform fabricated using additive manufacturing technologies. The system consists of a polymer based micropump integrated with a drug reservoir fabricated by 3D printing and a polymer hollow microneedle array fabricated using photolithography. To the best of our knowledge, we present the fabrication and characterization of a 3D-printed piezoelectrically actuated non-planar valveless micropump and reservoir integrated with a polymer hollow microneedle array for the first time. The integrated system is capable of delivering water at a maximum flow rate of 1.03 mL/min and shows a maximum backpressure of 1.37 kPa while consuming only 400 mW. The system has the least number of moving parts. It can be easily fabricated using additive manufacturing technologies, and it is found to be suitable for drug delivery applications.

Automated summary

Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) has made significant progress in recent years, allowing targeted microdosing, bespoke treatment regimens, and improved drug adherence. The use of polymers in drug delivery is increasing due to their low cost, scalability, ease of manufacture, and compatibility. This study presents the design and development of a polymer-based TDD platform fabricated using additive manufacturing technologies, including a 3D-printed micropump, drug reservoir, and hollow microneedle array. This integrated system demonstrates efficient drug delivery with minimal moving parts and can be easily fabricated using additive manufacturing technologies.