Microneedle patch for blocking ultraviolet ray

Abstract

The present invention relates to a microneedle patch for blocking ultraviolet rays and, more specifically, to a microneedle patch which can be attached to the skin of a user to deliver useful drugs while simultaneously blocking ultraviolet rays.

Description

UV protection microneedle patch

[0001] The present invention relates to a UV-blocking microneedle patch, and more specifically, to a microneedle patch that can be attached to a user's skin to deliver a useful drug while simultaneously blocking UV rays.

[0002] Although numerous drugs and bioactive substances have been developed for the treatment of diseases, there are still issues that need to be improved in delivering drugs and bioactive substances into the body, such as the passage of biological barriers (e.g., skin, oral mucosa, and blood-brain barrier) and the efficiency of drug delivery.

[0003] Drugs and bioactive substances are typically administered orally in tablet or capsule form. However, many drugs cannot be effectively delivered using this method alone due to factors such as digestion or absorption in the gastrointestinal tract or clearance through hepatic mechanisms. Furthermore, some drugs cannot effectively diffuse across the intestinal mucosa. Patient compliance is also a concern (e.g., medications must be taken at specific intervals, or in the case of critically ill patients who cannot take medication).

[0004] Another common technique for delivering drugs and bioactive substances is the use of conventional needles. While this method is more effective than oral administration, it carries the risk of pain at the injection site, local skin damage, bleeding, and infection at the injection site.

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, various microneedle patches containing microneedles have been developed. To date, microneedle patches have primarily been used for in vivo drug delivery, blood collection, and detection of in vivo analytes. Metals and various polymers have been used as microneedle materials. Recently, biodegradable polymers have been attracting attention as microneedle materials.

[0006] Meanwhile, as outdoor activities have increased among the general public, many people are wearing sunscreen, UV-blocking clothing, and hats to block UV rays that have a negative effect on the skin.

[0007] In this way, ultraviolet rays, which are the main cause of various symptoms and diseases on the skin, are blocked by directly blocking sunlight or by using cosmetics that contain sunscreen to specifically block ultraviolet rays.

[0008] Ultraviolet rays are electromagnetic waves with a wavelength range of 200 nm to 400 nm. Depending on the effect they have on living organisms, the ultraviolet wavelength range can be divided into ultraviolet A (UVA, 320 nm to 400 nm), ultraviolet B (UVB, 320 nm to 280 nm), and ultraviolet C (UVC: 290 nm to 200 nm).

[0009] Here, UV-C, which has the shortest wavelength, is mostly blocked by the ozone layer in the Earth's stratosphere, while UV-A and UV-B, which reach the Earth's surface, have a significant impact on outdoor activities. In addition, UV-A can penetrate the skin's dermis and induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause DNA damage, erythema, inflammatory reactions, skin aging, and skin cancer. UV-B is known to penetrate the skin's epidermis and cause erythema, freckles, and edema. Therefore, the importance of UV protection is being highlighted from the perspective of skin beauty and health.

[0010] On the other hand, when engaging in outdoor activities such as golf, tennis, or hiking, or in the summer, the skin sweats a lot, so if you use sunscreen, the sunscreen may be removed by sweat, reducing the sunscreen effect, or the sunscreen may enter the eyes along with the sweat, causing pain.

[0011] The present invention aims to solve the above problems by providing a microneedle patch that can block ultraviolet rays that may affect the skin during outdoor activities and adheres closely to the user's skin without falling off.

[0012] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a microneedle patch capable of bringing the microneedles into close contact with the skin when attaching the microneedle patch to the user's skin.

[0013] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a UV-blocking microneedle patch comprising an adhesive sheet that provides adhesiveness for attachment to the skin and blocks ultraviolet rays, and hydrophilic microneedles provided on the adhesive sheet, wherein the microneedles are directly connected to one surface of the adhesive sheet.

[0014] Here, the adhesive sheet may include a hydrophilic polymer.

[0015] For example, the adhesive sheet may be formed of an adhesive composition including the hydrophilic polymer and an adhesive, and may include an adhesive layer to which the microneedles are connected, and a film layer provided on the lower portion of the adhesive layer and including an ultraviolet ray blocking component that blocks ultraviolet ray.

[0016] Meanwhile, the above UV-blocking ingredient may include at least one selected from diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), ethylhexyl triazone (ETH), methylenebis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), zinc oxide (ZnO), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

[0017] Furthermore, the UV-blocking ingredient may include diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB) and may be included in the film layer at 1.25 wt% to 10.0 wt%.

[0018] Additionally, the UV-blocking ingredient may include diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB) and may be included in the film layer at 3.0 wt% to 10.0 wt%.

[0019] Meanwhile, the UV-blocking ingredient includes diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexylbenzoate (DHHB) and ethylhexyltriazone (ETH), and the film layer may include diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexylbenzoate (DHHB) in an amount of 1.5 wt% to 10.0 wt%, and ethylhexyltriazone (ETH) in an amount of 0.5 wt% to 7.5 wt%.

[0020] Additionally, the hydrophilic polymer may be included in the adhesive composition in an amount of 5 to 40 wt%.

[0021] Meanwhile, the hydrophilic polymer may include at least one selected from CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), Carbomer, HPMC (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose), PVP (polyvinyl pyrrolidone), PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), Guar Gum, sodium alginate, and poloxamer.

[0022] Furthermore, the adhesive may include 10 to 50 wt% of synthetic rubber, 30 to 70 wt% of hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin, 5 to 20 wt% of mineral oil, and 0.2 to 3 wt% of antioxidant.

[0023] Meanwhile, the hydrophilic polymer may include sodium alginate and poloxamer, and the adhesive composition may include 22 to 30 wt% of the sodium alginate and 0.1 to 0.5 wt% of the poloxamer.

[0024] In this case, the microneedles may include calcium chloride (CaCl2) together with a polymer material having biocompatibility and biodegradability.

[0025] Furthermore, the microneedle may have a drug-loading layer and a base layer under the drug-loading layer, the drug-loading layer may include an active ingredient together with a polymer material having biocompatibility and biodegradability, and the base layer may include calcium chloride together with the polymer material having biocompatibility and biodegradability.

[0026] In this case, the calcium chloride may be included in the base layer at 10 to 20 wt%.

[0027] Meanwhile, the above-described object of the present invention can be achieved by a UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized by comprising an adhesive sheet that provides adhesiveness for attachment to the skin and blocks ultraviolet rays, a support film provided on the adhesive sheet, and microneedles provided on the support film.

[0028] Here, the support film may be composed of hydrophilic properties.

[0029] In addition, the adhesive sheet may include an adhesive layer formed of an adhesive composition containing an adhesive, and a film layer provided on a lower portion of the adhesive layer and containing an ultraviolet ray blocking component that blocks ultraviolet ray.

[0030] In this case, the UV-blocking ingredient may include at least one selected from diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), ethylhexyl triazone (ETH), methylenebis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), zinc oxide (ZnO), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

[0031] Additionally, the ultraviolet ray blocking component may be included in the film layer at 0.5 to 8 wt%.

[0032] According to the present invention, which has the aforementioned configuration, ultraviolet rays that can affect the skin during outdoor activities can be effectively blocked. In particular, according to the present invention, the ultraviolet ray blocking ingredient is provided in a film layer located on the outer surface of the microneedle patch to prevent direct contact with the skin, thereby protecting the skin.

[0033] In addition, according to the present invention, when attaching a microneedle patch to a user's skin, the adhesive sheet between the microneedles is exposed, thereby effectively adhering the microneedles to the skin.

[0034] In addition, according to the present invention, by manufacturing an adhesive sheet using an adhesive composition including a hydrophilic polymer, microneedles can be directly connected to one surface of the adhesive sheet.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a microneedle patch according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 is a photograph of the microneedles in Figure 1.

[0037] Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the support film and adhesive sheet in Figure 1.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating a microneedle patch according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 5 is a photograph of the microneedles in Figure 4.

[0040] Figure 6 is a drawing illustrating a method for manufacturing a microneedle patch according to Figure 4 by a blowing tension method.

[0041] Fig. 7 is a schematic drawing illustrating a method for manufacturing a microneedle patch having a configuration according to Fig. 4 by a mold method.

[0042] Fig. 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the adhesive sheet in Fig. 4.

[0043] Figure 9 is a photograph showing whether an adhesive sheet containing sodium alginate is carbonized according to the weight ratio of poloxamer to the adhesive composition.

[0044] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a two-layer structure of microneedles.

[0045] Figure 11 is a photograph showing the degree of microneedle formation according to the weight ratio of calcium chloride when a microneedle patch is produced by a blowing tension method.

[0046] Hereinafter, a microneedle patch according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0047] FIG. 1 is a drawing and a photograph illustrating a microneedle patch (1000) including microneedles (14) according to one embodiment of the present invention. (A) of FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the microneedle patch (1000), (B) of FIG. 1 is a state in which a protective release film (11) is removed from the microneedle patch (1000), (C) of FIG. 1 is a photograph showing an adhesive sheet (6) and a support film (12) provided on an upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6) from a side, and (D) of FIG. 1 corresponds to a planar photograph of the adhesive sheet (6) and the support film (12) viewed from above.

[0048] Referring to Fig. 1, the microneedle patch (1000) may include an adhesive sheet (6) that provides adhesiveness for attachment to the skin and blocks ultraviolet rays, a support film (12) provided on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6), and microneedles (14) provided on the upper surface of the support film (12). Furthermore, the microneedle patch (1000) may further include a protective release film (11) that is arranged on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6) to surround the support film (12).

[0049] Here, the microneedle (14) is inserted into the skin and dissolved, and may be made of a material having biocompatibility and biodegradability and a water-soluble or hydrophilic material.

[0050] For example, the biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric materials that can constitute the microneedle (14) include hyaluronic acid and its salts, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose polymer, dextran, gelatin, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate, propylene glycol, povidone, carbomer, gum ghatti, guar gum, glucomannan, glucosamine, dammer resin, rennet casein, locust bean gum, microfibrillated cellulose, psyllium seed gum, xanthan gum, arabino galactan, gum arabic, alginic acid, gelatin, gellan gum, carrageenan, karaya gum, It may be composed of at least one selected from curdlan, chitosan, chitin, tara gum, tamarind gum, tragacanth gum, furcelleran, pectin, pullulan, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, alkyl cellulose, sodium chondroitin sulfate, and carboxymethyl cellulose, and further, calcium chloride (CaCl2) may be used together with the polymer material.

[0051] In addition, the adhesive sheet (6) provides adhesiveness so that the microneedles (14) adhere to the user's skin and can block ultraviolet rays. Before using the microneedle patch (1000), the adhesive sheet (6) is covered by the protective release film (11) described above, and when using, the user removes the protective release film (11) (state of (B) of FIG. 1) and exposes the adhesive sheet (6).

[0052] The above-mentioned support film (12) is provided on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6) and serves as a support on which the microneedles (14) are formed. The microneedles (14) may be made of a hydrophilic or water-soluble material. In addition, the adhesive sheet (6) may be made of a hydrophobic material to maintain adhesive strength.

[0053] In this case, since the hydrophilic microneedles (14) do not attach with sufficient bonding strength to the hydrophobic adhesive sheet (6), a hydrophilic support film (12) is first formed or attached to the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6), and the microneedles (14) are formed on the upper surface of the support film (12). (C) and (D) of Fig. 1 illustrate a state in which the support film (12) is provided on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6).

[0054] When a hydrophilic support film (12) is provided in this manner, microneedles (14) can be formed on the aforementioned support film (12), as shown in FIG. 2.

[0055] Meanwhile, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating the support film (12) and adhesive sheet (6). In Fig. 3, the microneedles (14) are omitted.

[0056] Referring to Fig. 3, the adhesive sheet (6) may be provided on the lower portion of the support film (12). The adhesive sheet (6) may include an adhesive layer (6A) and a film layer (6B) provided on the lower portion of the adhesive layer (6A). The aforementioned support film (12) and protective release film (11) may be attached to the upper surface of the adhesive layer (6A).

[0057] The above film layer (6B) may be composed of a film layer containing a UV-blocking component. For example, the film layer (6B) may be composed of at least one of a PET (polyester) film and a PU (poly urethan) film, and may contain a UV-blocking component. However, the film layer (6B) is not limited to the types described above and may be implemented in various ways.

[0058] Here, the UV-blocking ingredient may include at least one selected from diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), ethylhexyl triazone (ETH), methylenebis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), zinc oxide (ZnO), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

[0059] The present applicant tested the UV blocking effect according to the weight % of the UV blocking ingredient contained in the film layer (6B). Table 1 below shows the UV blocking rate (%) according to the change in the weight % of diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB) when used as the UV blocking ingredient.

[0060] Weight % UVA Blocking Rate (%) UVB Blocking Rate (%) 0 4 0 5 6 6 9 1 2 5 9 6 5 7 9 11 5 0 9 8 2 12 0 10 0 8 5 12 5 10 0 9 9 6 3 0 10 0 10 0 4 0 10 0 10 0 5 0 10 ...

[0061] As shown in Table 1 above, in the case of a general film layer that does not contain a UV-blocking ingredient, the UVA blocking rate is 40.5% and the UVB blocking rate is 66.9%, indicating that it does not properly block ultraviolet rays.

[0062] Meanwhile, when DHHB is included at 1.25 wt%, the UVA blocking rate is 96.5% and the UVB blocking rate is 69.1%, achieving a UV blocking effect. In addition, it can be seen that the UV blocking rate increases as the weight % of DHHB increases.

[0063] That is, when DHHB is included at 1.50 wt%, the UVA blocking rate is 98.0% and the UVB blocking rate is 82.1%. In addition, when DHHB is included at 2.0 wt%, the UVA blocking rate is 100% and the UVB blocking rate is 85.1%. Furthermore, it can be seen that when DHHB is included at 3.0 wt%, both the UVA blocking rate and the UVB blocking rate are 100%.

[0064] Meanwhile, some countries have laws setting a maximum weight percent of DHHB. For example, in Asia, Japan, and Europe, the maximum weight percent of DHHB is set at 10%.

[0065] Therefore, when DHHB is used as a UV blocking ingredient as in the present embodiment, the DHHB may be included in the film layer (6B) in an amount of 1.25 wt% to 10.0 wt%. Alternatively, the DHHB may be included in the film layer (6B) in an amount of 1.50 wt% to 10.0 wt%. In addition, the DHHB may be included in the film layer (6B) in an amount of 2.0 wt% to 10.0 wt%. Furthermore, preferably, the DHHB may be included in the film layer (6B) in an amount of 2.5 wt% to 10.0 wt%. More preferably, the DHHB may be included in the film layer (6B) in an amount of 3.0 wt% to 10.0 wt%.

[0066] In addition, Table 2 below shows the UV blocking rate (%) according to the change in the weight % of DHHB and ETH when diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB) and ethylhexyl triazone (ETH) are used together as the UV blocking ingredients.

[0067] DHHB wt%ETH wt%UVA blocking rate(%)UVB blocking rate(%)0040.566.91.50.598.098.72.00.510099.12.50.510099.72.51.0100100

[0068] As shown in Table 2 above, in the case of a general film layer that does not contain a UV-blocking ingredient, the UVA blocking rate is 40.5% as previously discussed, and the UVB blocking rate is 66.9%, indicating that it does not properly block ultraviolet rays.

[0069] Meanwhile, when DHHB is included at 1.50 wt% and ETH is included at 0.5 wt%, the UVA blocking rate is 98.0% and the UVB blocking rate is 98.7%, so that the UV blocking effect can be sufficiently achieved.

[0070] In addition, it can be seen that when DHHB is included at 2.5 wt% and ETH is included at 1.0 wt%, both the UVA blocking rate and the UVB blocking rate correspond to 100%. That is, when DHHB is included at 2.5 wt% or more and ETH is included at 1.0 wt% or more, the UVA blocking rate and the UVB blocking rate correspond to 100%.

[0071] Therefore, when DHHB and ETH are used together as UV blocking ingredients as in this embodiment, the DHHB may be included in an amount of 1.5 wt% to 10.0 wt% in the film layer (6B), and the ETH may be included in an amount of 0.5 wt% to 7.5 wt%.

[0072] Meanwhile, the adhesive layer (6A) may be formed of an adhesive composition, and the adhesive composition may include an adhesive.

[0073] The above adhesive may contain 10 to 50 wt% of synthetic rubber, 30 to 70 wt% of hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin, 5 to 20 wt% of mineral oil, and 0.2 to 3 wt% of antioxidant.

[0074] Meanwhile, in the case of the microneedle patch (1000) according to the above-described embodiment, as described above, the protective release film (11) is removed during use to expose the adhesive sheet (6). However, since the support film (12) for forming the microneedles (14) is provided on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6), the adhesive sheet (6) that is actually exposed corresponds to the edge area (A) of the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6), as illustrated in (B) of FIG. 1.

[0075] That is, when the microneedle patch (1000) according to the above-described embodiment is attached to the human skin, only the edge area (A) of the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (6) is attached to the human body, and the area of ​​the support film (12) where the microneedles (14) are formed is not exposed to the adhesive sheet (6), so no adhesive force is directly applied. Consequently, in the structure according to the above-described embodiment, there was a problem in that the adhesive force for attaching the microneedles (14) to the skin was insufficient, so the microneedles (14) did not adhere closely to the skin, resulting in a very low drug delivery capability. Hereinafter, a microneedle patch according to another embodiment for solving the above-described problem will be examined.

[0076] FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating a microneedle patch (2000) according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 corresponds to a photograph actually taken of the microneedle (14) in FIG. 4. (A) of FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the microneedle patch (2000), (B) of FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a protective release film (11) has been removed from the microneedle patch (2000), (C) of FIG. 4 is a photograph showing the adhesive sheet (10) from the side, and (D) of FIG. 4 corresponds to a planar photograph of the adhesive sheet (10) viewed from above.

[0077] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the microneedle patch (2000) may include an adhesive sheet (10) that provides adhesiveness for attachment to the skin and blocks ultraviolet rays, and microneedles (14) provided on the adhesive sheet (10). Furthermore, the microneedle patch (2000) may further include a protective release film (11) that is arranged on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (10) to surround the microneedles (14).

[0078] Here, the microneedle (14) is inserted into the skin and dissolved, and may be made of a material having biocompatibility and biodegradability and a water-soluble or hydrophilic material.

[0079] For example, the biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric materials that can constitute the microneedle (14) include hyaluronic acid and its salts, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose polymer, dextran, gelatin, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate, propylene glycol, povidone, carbomer, gum ghatti, guar gum, glucomannan, glucosamine, dammer resin, rennet casein, locust bean gum, microfibrillated cellulose, psyllium seed gum, xanthan gum, arabino galactan, gum arabic, alginic acid, gelatin, gellan gum, carrageenan, karaya gum, It may be composed of at least one selected from curdlan, chitosan, chitin, tara gum, tamarind gum, tragacanth gum, furcelleran, pectin, pullulan, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, alkyl cellulose, sodium chondroitin sulfate, and carboxymethyl cellulose, and further, calcium chloride (CaCl2) may be used together with the polymer material.

[0080] Meanwhile, in the present invention, the microneedles (14) may be directly connected or formed on the upper surface or one surface of the adhesive sheet (10). That is, the microneedles (14) may be directly formed on or attached to the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (10). Looking at (C) and (D) of FIG. 4, it can be confirmed that there is no hydrophilic support film as in the aforementioned embodiment on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (10). In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, it can be confirmed that the microneedles are normally attached and provided on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (10) without the hydrophilic support film.

[0081] In this way, when the microneedles (14) are directly provided on the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (10) and the microneedles (14) are composed of multiple pieces, the adhesive sheet (10) between the multiple microneedles (14) may be exposed as shown in (A) and (B) of FIG. 4.

[0082] That is, when a user removes the protective film (11) as shown in (B) of FIG. 4 to use the microneedle patch (2000), not only the edge area of ​​the adhesive sheet (10) but also the adhesive sheet (10) between the microneedles (14) may be exposed.

[0083] Accordingly, when the upper surface of the adhesive sheet (10) provided with the microneedles (14) is attached to the human skin, the adhesive sheet (10) is exposed between the microneedles (14) as well as the edge area of ​​the adhesive sheet (10), so that the microneedles (14) can be more effectively adhered to the human skin. In this case, drugs, etc. can be more effectively delivered to the human body through the microneedles (14), so that the drug delivery capability of the microneedle patch (2000) can be greatly increased.

[0084] Meanwhile, Fig. 6 is a drawing illustrating a method for manufacturing a microneedle patch (2000, 2000') according to the aforementioned Fig. 4. The method corresponds to the droplet extension (DEN) method developed by the applicant of the present invention. For microneedles manufactured by the droplet extension method, reference may be made to Korean Patent Nos. 1254240, 1285085, 1636069, 1816922, 2103194, and 2127123, the entire contents of which may be incorporated herein by reference.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 6, the step of manufacturing the microneedle patch (2000, 2000') may include the step of first providing a pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10'), and the step of spotting a biodegradable viscous material (13, 13') on at least one of the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10').

[0086] The adhesive sheet (10, 10') may be provided, for example, on a pair of substrates (not shown). In this case, the adhesive sheet (10, 10') may be provided by being applied and dried on the substrates, or may be provided in a sheet state.

[0087] In this embodiment, as previously discussed, the hydrophilic support film can be omitted on the opposing surfaces of the adhesive sheets (10, 10'). As a result, microneedles (14, 14') can be directly formed on the opposing surfaces (upper surfaces) of the adhesive sheets (10, 10').

[0088] Meanwhile, in (A) of FIG. 6, the viscous material (13, 13') is depicted as being spotted on both of the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10'), but this is not limited thereto. For example, it is also possible to spot the viscous material (13, 13') on only one of the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10').

[0089] Next, the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') are moved relative to each other ((A) of FIG. 6) so that they come closer to each other, so that the viscous material (13, 13') is brought into contact with each other between the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10'), and the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') are spaced apart so that the viscous material (13, 13') is tensioned ((B) of FIG. 6).

[0090] In this way, when the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') are spaced apart from each other, if the bonding force between the viscous material (13, 13') forming the microneedles and the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') becomes weak, the viscous material (13, 13') may not be tensioned in the tensioning step of Fig. 6 (B) and the viscous material (13, 13') may be separated from the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10'). In the present embodiment, by including a hydrophilic polymer in the adhesive sheets (10, 10'), the bonding force between the viscous material (13, 13') forming the microneedles and the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') is maintained.

[0091] That is, the adhesive force between the above-mentioned viscous material (13, 13') and the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') can be determined to be such that the above-mentioned viscous material (13, 13') can form a tip portion, or more.

[0092] Next, the above-mentioned viscous material (13, 13') is solidified and the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') are separated to form microneedles (14, 14') directly on the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10').

[0093] In this case, the viscous material (13, 13') can be solidified by means of blowing air, etc. After the viscous material (13, 13') is sufficiently solidified, when the pair of adhesive sheets (10, 10') are further separated, the viscous materials (13, 13') that were connected to each other are separated, forming microneedles (14, 14') having tips, and completing the microneedle patch (2000, 2000') (Fig. 6 (C)).

[0094] Meanwhile, as described above, since the microneedle (14) has water solubility or hydrophilicity, if the adhesive sheet (10) has hydrophobicity as in the embodiment described above, the bonding force between the microneedle (14) and the adhesive sheet (10) becomes very low. In this case, when the microneedle patch (2000) is manufactured by the blowing tension method according to the above-described FIG. 6, if the adhesive sheets (10) are spaced apart on both sides, the viscous material (13, 13') between the adhesive sheets (10) may not be tensioned on both sides, and the viscous material (13, 13') may be separated from one of the adhesive sheets (10), so that the microneedle (14) may not be formed.

[0095] These problems can occur not only in the aforementioned method of manufacturing microneedle patches using the blowing tension method, but also in the case of manufacturing using the mold method. Fig. 7 schematically illustrates a method of manufacturing a microneedle patch having the configuration of Fig. 4 using the mold method.

[0096] Referring to Fig. 7, when manufacturing a microneedle patch by a mold method, a needle composition (400) is placed in a cavity (310) of a mold (300), an adhesive sheet (410) is provided on top of the cavity, and the needle composition (400) is dried or dried through an appropriate heat treatment. Then, when the needle composition (400) is dried, the adhesive sheet (410) is pulled to separate it from the mold (300).

[0097] In this way, when the adhesive sheet (410) is separated from the mold (300), if the bonding force between the adhesive sheet (410) and the microneedles (420) becomes weak, some of the microneedles (420A) among the microneedles (420) may not be separated from the mold (300) and only the adhesive sheet (410) may be separated.

[0098] In this embodiment, an adhesive sheet and an adhesive composition are provided that maintain the bonding strength between the adhesive sheet (10) and the hydrophilic microneedles (14) to a level that enables the production of a microneedle patch (2000), and further maintain the adhesive strength so that the adhesive sheet (10) can be firmly attached to the skin of a human body. This will be described in detail below.

[0099] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating an adhesive sheet (10) according to the present embodiment. In Fig. 8, the microneedles (14) are illustrated with the exception of the microneedles (14).

[0100] Referring to Fig. 8, the adhesive sheet (10) may include an adhesive layer (10A) and a film layer (10B) provided on the lower portion of the adhesive layer (10A). The aforementioned microneedles (14) are provided on the upper surface of the adhesive layer (10A).

[0101] The above film layer (10B) may be composed of a film layer containing a UV-blocking component. For example, the film layer (10B) may include at least one of a PET (polyester) film and a PU (poly urethan) film, and may contain a UV-blocking component. However, the film layer (10B) is not limited to the types described above and may be implemented in various ways.

[0102] Here, the UV-blocking ingredient may include at least one selected from diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), ethylhexyl triazone (ETH), methylenebis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), zinc oxide (ZnO), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

[0103] Meanwhile, since the experimental results for the case where DHHB was used as the above UV blocking ingredient or the case where DHHB and ETH were used together have been described above, a repeated explanation will be omitted.

[0104] Meanwhile, the adhesive layer (10A) may be formed from an adhesive composition, which may include a hydrophilic polymer and an adhesive. That is, in the present invention, the adhesive layer (10A) of the adhesive sheet (10) is manufactured using an adhesive composition including a hydrophilic polymer.

[0105] Accordingly, the adhesive layer (10A) becomes hydrophilic, and accordingly, the adhesive sheet (10) to which the microneedles (14) are attached becomes hydrophilic. When the adhesive sheet (10) or the adhesive layer (10A) becomes hydrophilic, even when the microneedles (14) are formed on the upper surface of the adhesive layer (10A), the bonding force between the adhesive sheet (10) and the microneedles (14) can be sufficiently maintained.

[0106] According to the inventor's experiments, it is preferable that the hydrophilic polymer be included in the adhesive composition in an amount of 5 to 40 wt%. If the hydrophilic polymer is included in the adhesive composition in an amount of less than 5 wt%, the bonding force between the adhesive layer (10A) and the microneedles (14) is weak, making it difficult to form a microneedle patch (2000). In addition, if the hydrophilic polymer is included in the adhesive composition in an amount exceeding 40 wt%, the adhesive force of the adhesive layer (10A) becomes very weak, making it difficult to attach the microneedle patch (2000) to the human skin.

[0107] For example, the hydrophilic polymer may include at least one selected from CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), Carbomer, HPMC (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose), PVP (polyvinyl pyrrolidone), PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), Guar Gum, sodium alginate, and poloxamer.

[0108] Meanwhile, the aforementioned adhesive may contain 10 to 50 wt% of synthetic rubber, 30 to 70 wt% of hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin, 5 to 20 wt% of mineral oil, and 0.2 to 3 wt% of antioxidant.

[0109] Meanwhile, as described above, the adhesive composition includes 5 to 40 wt% of the hydrophilic polymer, and the hydrophilic polymer may include sodium alginate and poloxamer.

[0110] For example, the adhesive composition may contain approximately 22 to 30 wt% of the sodium alginate, and preferably 24 wt%. If the sodium alginate is contained in an amount less than 22 wt%, it may be difficult to manufacture microneedles using the blowing tension method according to FIG. 6, and on the other hand, if the sodium alginate is contained in an amount greater than 30 wt%, the adhesive strength of the adhesive sheet may be weakened.

[0111] In addition, the sodium alginate is vulnerable to heat and may be carbonized, and to prevent this, the poloxamer may be included together as a heat stabilizer.

[0112] In this case, the poloxamer may be included in the adhesive composition at approximately 0.1 to 0.5 wt%, and preferably at 0.2 wt%. If the poloxamer is included at less than 0.1 wt%, it is difficult to prevent carbonization of the sodium alginate, and on the other hand, if the poloxamer is included at more than 0.5 wt%, it may be difficult to manufacture microneedles due to the wettability of the poloxamer.

[0113] Meanwhile, Fig. 9 is a photograph showing whether an adhesive sheet including sodium alginate is carbonized according to the weight ratio of the poloxamer to the adhesive composition. In the case of Fig. 9, this corresponds to a case where the adhesive composition contains approximately 24 wt% of the sodium alginate.

[0114] (A) of Fig. 9 corresponds to a case where the poloxamer is not included (0 wt%), (B) of Fig. 9 corresponds to a case where the poloxamer is included at 0.05 wt%, (C) of Fig. 9 corresponds to a case where the poloxamer is included at 0.10 wt%, (D) of Fig. 9 corresponds to a case where the poloxamer is included at 0.15 wt%, (E) of Fig. 9 corresponds to a case where the poloxamer is included at 0.20 wt%, and (F) of Fig. 9 corresponds to a case where the poloxamer is included at 0.30 wt%.

[0115] As shown in Fig. 9, it can be seen that carbonization occurs in all of the adhesive sheets in cases of Fig. 9 (A) to Fig. 12 (D). On the other hand, it can be seen that carbonization does not occur in the adhesive sheets in cases of Fig. 9 (E) and Fig. 12 (F).

[0116] In addition, when the above-mentioned sodium alginate and the above-mentioned poloxamer are used as the above-mentioned hydrophilic polymer of the above-mentioned adhesive composition, the above-mentioned microneedles may include calcium chloride (CaCl2) together with a polymer material having biocompatibility and biodegradability.

[0117] For example, hyaluronic acid may be used as the biocompatible and biodegradable polymer material, and calcium chloride may be used together with the hyaluronic acid. However, the hyaluronic acid is merely an example, and any one or more of the aforementioned biocompatible and biodegradable polymer materials may be used.

[0118] In this case, when the microneedle patch is manufactured according to the blowing tension method of FIG. 6 described above, the following reaction can be induced.

[0119]

[0120] That is, even when a microneedle patch is manufactured according to the blowing tension method of FIG. 6, adhesive force is provided to the microneedle by the Ca (Alginate) component generated by the cross-linking reaction according to the above [chemical formula 1], so that the microneedle is not separated from the adhesive sheet.

[0121] The calcium chloride may be included in the above microneedle in an amount of 10 to 20 wt%, preferably 15 to 20 wt%.

[0122] Additionally, the microneedles may be configured with a multilayer structure. Fig. 10 illustrates a microneedle (14) configured with a multilayer structure. Fig. 10 illustrates, for example, a case where the microneedle (14) is configured with a two-layer structure.

[0123] Referring to FIG. 10, the microneedle (14) may have a drug-loading layer (142) and a base layer (144) provided below the drug-loading layer (142).

[0124] In this case, the drug-loading layer (142) may include an active ingredient together with a polymer material having the biocompatibility and biodegradability described above.

[0125] Additionally, the base layer (144) may include calcium chloride together with the aforementioned biocompatible and biodegradable polymer material. The base layer (144) may include 10 to 20 wt% of calcium chloride, and preferably 15 to 20 wt%.

[0126] The width (W) of the base layer (144) may be, for example, 400 ㎛ to 1,400 ㎛, and the height (H) of the base layer (144) may be 30 ㎛ to 300 ㎛.

[0127] Meanwhile, Fig. 11 corresponds to a photograph showing the degree of formation of microneedles (14) according to the weight ratio of calcium chloride when a microneedle patch is produced by the blowing tension method according to Fig. 6.

[0128] (A) of Fig. 14 corresponds to a case where the calcium chloride is not included in the microneedle (0 wt%), (B) of Fig. 11 corresponds to a case where the calcium chloride is included in the microneedle in an amount of 5 wt%, (C) of Fig. 11 corresponds to a case where the calcium chloride is included in an amount of 10 wt%, (D) of Fig. 11 corresponds to a case where the calcium chloride is included in an amount of 15 wt%, and (E) of Fig. 11 corresponds to a case where the calcium chloride is included in an amount of 20 wt%.

[0129] Looking at Fig. 11, it can be seen that the microneedles are not formed normally when the calcium chloride is not included ((A) of Fig. 11) or when the calcium chloride is included at 5 wt% ((B) of Fig. 11).

[0130] Additionally, when the calcium chloride is included at 10 wt% ((C) of FIG. 11), it can be confirmed that the microneedles are formed, but the uniformity in height and diameter is somewhat poor.

[0131] On the other hand, when the calcium chloride is included at 15 wt% ((D) of FIG. 11) and when the calcium chloride is included at 20 wt% ((E) of FIG. 11), it can be seen that the microneedles are formed normally and the height and diameter are also constant.

[0132] While the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims below. Therefore, any modified implementation that fundamentally includes the elements of the claims should be considered within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0133] According to the present invention, ultraviolet rays that can affect the skin during outdoor activities can be effectively blocked. In particular, according to the present invention, the ultraviolet ray blocking ingredient is provided in a film layer located on the outer surface of the microneedle patch to prevent direct contact with the skin, thereby protecting the skin.

[0134] In addition, according to the present invention, when attaching a microneedle patch to a user's skin, the adhesive sheet between the microneedles is exposed, thereby effectively adhering the microneedles to the skin.

[0135] In addition, according to the present invention, by manufacturing an adhesive sheet using an adhesive composition including a hydrophilic polymer, microneedles can be directly connected to one surface of the adhesive sheet.

Claims

1. An adhesive sheet that provides adhesion to the skin and blocks ultraviolet rays; and A hydrophilic microneedle provided on the adhesive sheet; A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the above microneedles are directly connected to one side of the above adhesive sheet.

2. In paragraph 1, A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the adhesive sheet comprises a hydrophilic polymer.

3. In paragraph 2, The above adhesive sheet A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized by comprising an adhesive layer formed of an adhesive composition including the hydrophilic polymer and an adhesive, the adhesive layer connecting the microneedles, and a film layer provided on the lower portion of the adhesive layer and containing a UV-blocking component that blocks UV rays.

4. In paragraph 3, The above UV blocking ingredient is A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized by comprising at least one selected from diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), ethylhexyl triazone (ETH), methylenebis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), zinc oxide (ZnO), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

5. In paragraph 4, The above UV protection ingredient is composed of diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB). A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the film layer comprises 1.25 wt% to 10.0 wt%.

6. In paragraph 4, The above UV-blocking ingredient contains diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB). A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the film layer comprises 3.0 wt% to 10.0 wt%.

7. In paragraph 4, The above UV-blocking ingredients include diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB) and ethylhexyl triazone (ETH). A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the film layer contains 1.5 to 10.0 wt% of diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB) and 0.5 to 7.5 wt% of ethylhexyl triazone (ETH).

8. In paragraph 3, A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the adhesive composition contains 5 to 40 wt% of the hydrophilic polymer.

9. In paragraph 3 A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the hydrophilic polymer comprises at least one selected from CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), Carbomer, HPMC (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose), PVP (polyvinyl pyrrolidone), PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), Guar Gum, sodium alginate, and poloxamer.

10. In paragraph 3, The above adhesive A UV-blocking microneedle patch comprising 10 to 50 wt% of synthetic rubber, 30 to 70 wt% of hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin, 5 to 20 wt% of mineral oil, and 0.2 to 3 wt% of an antioxidant.

11. In paragraph 3, The above hydrophilic polymer includes sodium alginate and poloxamer, A microneedle patch characterized in that the adhesive composition contains 22 to 30 wt% of the sodium alginate and 0.1 to 0.5 wt% of the poloxamer.

12. In paragraph 11, A microneedle patch characterized in that the above microneedles contain calcium chloride (CaCl2) together with a polymer material having biocompatibility and biodegradability.

13. In paragraph 1 The above microneedle has a drug-loading layer and a base layer below the drug-loading layer, The above drug-loaded layer contains an active ingredient together with a polymer material having biocompatibility and biodegradability, A microneedle patch characterized in that the base layer comprises calcium chloride together with a polymer material having biocompatibility and biodegradability.

14. In Article 13 A microneedle patch characterized in that the base layer contains 10 to 20 wt% of the calcium chloride.

15. An adhesive sheet that provides adhesion to the skin and blocks ultraviolet rays; A support film provided on the adhesive sheet; and A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized by comprising microneedles provided on the above-mentioned support film.

16. In paragraph 15, A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the above support film is composed of hydrophilic material.

17. In paragraph 15, The above adhesive sheet A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized by comprising an adhesive layer formed of an adhesive composition containing an adhesive, and a film layer provided on a lower portion of the adhesive layer and containing a UV-blocking component that blocks ultraviolet rays.

18. In paragraph 17, The above UV blocking ingredient is A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized by comprising at least one selected from diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), ethylhexyl triazone (ETH), methylenebis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), zinc oxide (ZnO), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

19. In paragraph 17, In the above film layer A UV-blocking microneedle patch characterized in that the UV-blocking ingredient is contained in an amount of 0.5 to 8 wt%.

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