Usefulness verification of biocompatible microneedle patch for transdermal drug delivery

The key issues in the development of a microneedle patch as a tool for transdermal drug delivery are safety and delivery performance in addition to economical production. In this paper, a novel fabrication method for an inexpensive microneedle patch made of biocompatible polymer is reported, along with verifications for the fabricated microneedle patch. For microneedle patch fabrication, we combined the merits of in-line microneedles, i.e., easy and economical production, with the superior performance of two-dimensionally arrayed microneedles. We then demonstrated the actual delivery of exogenous materials through application on skin via animal experiments, and we found no detectable side effects such as inflammation or allergic reactions at the site of application.