Dissolvable Microneedle Carriers for Sustained Drug Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transdermal drug delivery methods, including microneedle patches, face challenges in providing sustained release without causing patient discomfort, such as allergic reactions and prolonged skin attachment, which can lead to skin rashness and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A substance delivery device comprising a substrate with dissolvable supporting structures and carriers, where the dissolvable structures are made of materials like polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, and hyaluronic acid, allowing for minimal tissue invasion and enabling the carriers to be left in the skin to gradually release substances, reducing the need for prolonged skin contact and minimizing discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If sustained-release microneedle patches use bio-degradable polymer as the material of microneedles, then sustained release can be achieved, but the patches have to be placed on skin for quite a long time which induces allergic reactions and causes patients' discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The microneedle patch is divided into three separate components: a substrate, dissolvable supporting structures, and carriers. This segmentation allows each component to have optimized functionality - the substrate provides structural support, the supporting structures provide temporary support during application, and the carriers deliver the drug substance. The dissolvable supporting structures dissolve after application, removing the source of prolonged skin contact discomfort while maintaining sustained release capability through the carriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The dissolvable supporting structures are extracted as a separate, temporary component that is removed (by dissolving) after serving its purpose of holding the carriers in position during application. This extraction eliminates the need for prolonged skin attachment, reducing allergic reactions and discomfort, while the carriers remain to provide sustained drug release.
2Speed
If microneedle patches are designed for rapid release, then quick substance delivery is achieved, but they cannot provide sustained release effect
Solution Approach 1:
The carriers are designed with dynamic properties that allow them to change their drug release rate over time. The carriers can be engineered with different material compositions, sizes, and degradation rates to provide both rapid initial release (for quick therapeutic effect) and sustained prolonged release (for extended therapeutic coverage). This dynamic design enables the system to adapt its release profile to match therapeutic requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriers can be constructed from composite materials that combine different polymers or material properties to achieve both rapid and sustained release characteristics. For example, a composite carrier might have a porous outer layer for rapid initial release and a denser inner core for sustained release, or combine biodegradable materials with controlled degradation rates to provide multi-phase release profiles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device allows for sustained release of substances without inducing allergic reactions or discomfort, as the dissolvable supporting structures dissolve, separating from the substrate, and the carriers swell and degrade to release drugs over time, extending the effectiveness of the substances and reducing skin contact duration.
Implementation Method 1
The dissolvable supporting structures are disposed on the substrate. The carriers are disposed on the dissolvable supporting structures and encapsulating substances. When the substrate attaches to the tissue, the dissolvable supporting structures are dissolved, separating the carriers from the substrate.
Implementation Method 2
the carriers swell and degrade to release drugs over time, extending the effectiveness of the substances
Data Source
AI summary
A substance delivery device comprises a substrate, a plurality of dissolvable supporting structures and a plurality of carriers. The substrate attaches to a tissue. The dissolvable supporting structures are disposed on the substrate. The carriers are disposed on the dissolvable supporting structures and encapsulating substances. The present invention further provides a substance delivery method. The substance delivery device and the substance delivery method of present invention is advantageous for providing sustained release effect and rising the applicability of transdermal or transmucosal delivery techniques.