Microneedle Patch for Atopic Dermatitis Biomarker Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for diagnosing atopic dermatitis, such as tissue biopsy and tape stripping, are invasive, painful, and provide incomplete results, limiting their effectiveness and patient compliance.

Innovation Solution

A minimally invasive method using a microneedle patch with biodegradable polymer hyaluronic acid microneedles is applied to the skin, allowing for the sampling of skin biomarkers from the stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis without causing pain or scarring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional tissue biopsy is used to diagnose atopic dermatitis, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but patient pain and scarring increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidpatient pain and scarring

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the skin sampling process into multiple microneedle units that penetrate individually, allowing diagnostic sampling without the need for large incisions or excisions required by conventional biopsy, thereby reducing pain and scarring while maintaining diagnostic capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The microneedle patch acts as an intermediary tool between the diagnostic need and the patient's skin, providing a minimally invasive interface that enables biomarker collection from the stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis without direct surgical intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If tape stripping method is used to sample skin, then patient compliance is improved, but sampling depth is limited to stratum corneum only

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient complianceVSAvoidsampling depth coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The microneedles are designed to dynamically penetrate through multiple skin layers (stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis) to varying depths, allowing the same patch to collect biomarkers from different skin layers simultaneously while maintaining patient comfort and compliance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adds the depth dimension to skin sampling by enabling microneedles to penetrate vertically through the stratum corneum and epidermis into the dermis, transforming the sampling capability from surface-only (tape stripping) to multi-layer deep sampling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If conventional injection needle is used for drug delivery, then delivery efficiency is improved, but injection site damage and infection risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrug delivery efficiencyVSAvoidinjection site damage and infection

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The microneedle patch uses disposable, biodegradable microneedles that are discarded after single use, eliminating the need for sterilization and reducing infection risk associated with reusable needles, while maintaining effective drug or biomarker delivery capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical parameters of the needle system by using extremely fine microneedles with diameters in the micrometer range, reducing mechanical damage and pain at the application site while maintaining sufficient penetration capability for effective delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This method increases patient compliance and the reliability of analysis results by enabling the detection of key biomarkers associated with atopic dermatitis, such as interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, without the drawbacks of invasive procedures.

Implementation Method 1

reading the amounts of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, adsorbed onto the microneedle surface of the microneedle patch

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP4133994B1Miminally-invasive atopic dermatitis test method using microneedle patch and minimally-invasive atopic dermatitis test kit comprising microneedle patch

Publication Date: 2025.06.18 RAPHAS

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AI summary

The present invention relates to a minimally-invasive atopic dermatitis test method. The minimally-invasive atopic dermatitis test method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: applying, to the skin of a subject, a microneedle patch including a plurality of microneedles made of a biodegradable hyaluronic acid polymer and having a solid core structure and a bottom layer which is a base on which the plurality of microneedles are formed; maintaining the microneedle patch attached to the skin of the subject for a predetermined time; separating the microneedle patch from the skin of the subject after a predetermined time has passed to input the microneedle patch to a quantitative test; reading the amount of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 adsorbed onto the surface of the microneedles of the microneedle patch in the quantitative test step; and evaluating atopic dermatitis activity on the basis of the reading of the amount of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13.