Selective-Insulated Microelectrode Array for Targeted Skin Electrotransfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transdermal electroporation faces challenges such as low delivery/transfection efficiencies, limited substance permeation, variability in delivery efficiencies, and skin irritation and scarring, hindering its clinical adoption.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive penetrating microelectrode array with selective insulation and biomolecule coating is used to create localized electric field hotspots for targeted delivery of biomolecules like nucleic acids or proteins to the epidermal or dermal layer, minimizing tissue damage and maximizing transfection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high intensity electric field is used to permeabilize the stratum corneum, then transdermal permeation is achieved, but skin irritation, edema and tissue damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies selective insulation to specific regions of the electrode, creating localized electric field hotspots that concentrate the electric field intensity at targeted tissue sites while keeping surrounding areas at lower intensities. This resolves the contradiction by enabling sufficient transdermal permeation at the target site without causing widespread skin irritation and tissue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode is divided into multiple regions with different insulation properties, allowing independent control of electric field distribution. The insulated regions guide current flow to specific depths and locations, enabling precise delivery of high intensity fields only where needed for permeabilization, while other areas receive lower intensities that avoid tissue damage.
2Volume of stationary object
If penetrating electrodes spaced several centimeters apart are used, then large tissue volume is permeabilized, but tissue damage occurs around electrodes where field intensities are highest
Solution Approach 1:
By applying insulation to specific portions of penetrating electrodes, the patent creates localized hotspots of high electric field intensity at predetermined tissue depths and locations. This concentrates the permeabilization effect precisely where needed while significantly reducing the field intensity in surrounding tissues, thereby preventing the tissue damage that occurs with conventional non-selective electrode designs.
3Quantity of substance
If DNA is injected in large volumes via intradermal or intramuscular injection, then sufficient cellular uptake is achieved, but delivery efficiency varies and DNA may be delivered to subcutaneous region instead of targeted tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent coats DNA or other biomolecules selectively on insulated regions of the electrode, ensuring that the biomolecules are delivered only to the localized tissue sites where electric field hotspots are generated. This precise co-localization of biomolecule delivery and electric field application dramatically improves delivery precision, preventing DNA from being delivered to incorrect regions such as subcutaneous tissue, and enhances cellular uptake efficiency by concentrating both the DNA and electroporation effect at the same targeted locations.
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 approach achieves efficient, targeted biomolecule delivery with reduced skin irritation and tissue damage by localizing electric field hotspots, improving transfection efficiency and minimizing adverse effects.
Implementation Method 1
During electroporation, cells or tissues are exposed to a brief, high strength, electric field that induces pore formation in the cell membrane facilitating molecular delivery across the membrane barrier
Implementation Method 2
exposed to a brief, high strength, electric field that induces pore formation in the cell membrane facilitating molecular delivery across the membrane barrier
Data Source
AI summary
A minimally invasive penetrating microelectrode array is used to generate localized electric field “hotspots” for delivering biomolecules, such as nucleic acid or protein molecules, into cells located in the epidermal or dermal layer of the skin via transient membrane permeabilization. The “hotspots” can be controlled by selectively insulating the penetrating microelectrodes at specific regions. The portion of microelectrodes that are not covered with insulation coating can be coated with nucleic acid or protein vaccine vector, or other biomolecules to be delivered. Upon insertion into the skin, an anchor microelectrode region mechanically anchors the penetrating microelectrode to position the target tissue microelectrode region, so as to selectively align the biomolecule coating with cells located in the tissue location. The biomolecule coating will dissolve when in contact with surrounding tissue. By applying an electrical pulse, the biomolecules can be delivered into surrounding cells.