Hollow Core Solid Dose for Transdermal Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transdermal drug delivery methods require drugs with mechanical strength for direct skin insertion, limiting drug loading and practical utility, and often necessitate prolonged skin residence or multiple mechanical forces for effective delivery.
Innovation Solution
A solid dose with a hollow core seated on a carrier that penetrates the skin, allowing for instant delivery without residence time, using a device with a platform to define penetration depth and an optional sleeve for resistance, enabling delivery with low force and controlled release profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If drugs are formulated with high mechanical strength properties for direct skin insertion, then the drug can be inserted directly into the skin, but the drug loading is reduced due to the need for large amounts of polymers and carbohydrate based excipients
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two separate functional components: a carrier (needle or projectile) that performs the skin penetration function, and a solid dose that contains the drug formulation. This segmentation allows the carrier to provide the necessary mechanical strength for skin insertion while the solid dose can be optimized for maximum drug loading without requiring excessive excipients for structural support
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical strength function is extracted from the drug formulation itself and transferred to a separate carrier component. The carrier (needle or projectile) assumes the role of providing the requisite mechanical properties for skin penetration, while the drug formulation is freed from this constraint and can focus on maximizing active ingredient content
2Quantity of substance
If microneedle technology is used to deliver drug coated on the needle surface, then a smaller mass of drug can be delivered, but prolonged skin insertion is required for the drug to dissolve into the skin
Solution Approach 1:
The solid dose is pre-formed with a structure and composition optimized for rapid dissolution upon skin insertion. The carrier is pre-loaded with the solid dose in a configuration that ensures immediate contact with skin tissue, eliminating the need for prolonged residence time required by surface-coated microneedles
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state and surface properties of the drug formulation are changed from a thin surface coating on microneedles to a solid dose with optimized dissolution characteristics. The solid dose can be formulated with appropriate excipients and structural properties that enable rapid dissolution and drug release into the skin upon insertion
3Force
If a spring loaded mechanism is used to force the drug pellet into the skin, then the tip can overcome the mechanical barrier, but the device complexity increases and requires additional mechanical force
Solution Approach 1:
The force generation function is extracted from the drug pellet itself and transferred to a separate spring-loaded mechanism or supplementary device. The carrier or projectile is designed to work in conjunction with this external force-generating mechanism, separating the functions of drug delivery and force application
Solution Approach 2:
A carrier or projectile acts as an intermediary between the force-generating mechanism (spring or pneumatic device) and the solid dose. This intermediary component receives the mechanical force, transmits it to penetrate the skin barrier, and then delivers the solid dose into the skin without requiring the drug formulation itself to possess high mechanical strength
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
Enables efficient, low-force insertion and rapid dissolution of solid doses, reducing bio-fouling and enhancing consistency and duration of drug release, overcoming limitations of mechanical strength and prolonged residence times in existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
the hollow core extends completely from the proximal end to the distal end of the solid dose... which enhances the speed of dissolution of the solid drug once inside the skin and in contact with the interstitial fluid or micro circulation in the skin
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
A solid dose for insertion into the skin of a patient wherein the solid dose has a hollow core. There is also provided a solid dose carrier, a device, a method of manufacturing the solid dose and a method of delivering a solid dose transdermally to a human or animal.