Multi-site Injection System with Micro-Needle Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in transcutaneous drug delivery is achieving sufficient drug penetration across the skin, primarily due to the stratum corneum barrier, which is dependent on medicament water solubility and molecular weight, and existing methods can be painful and inefficient for systemic or localized effects.
Innovation Solution
A multi-site injection system utilizing a plurality of microprotrusions or needles that pierce the stratum corneum to deliver medicaments, with various embodiments including rotatable drums, guide plates, needle plates, and pressurized systems to ensure effective penetration across a larger skin area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a plurality of micro needles or protrusions are used for simultaneous delivery of medicament through a larger area of stratum corneum, then pain is reduced and penetration efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the injection function into multiple micro-needles arranged in arrays, where each needle performs the piercing function independently. This segmentation allows simultaneous delivery at multiple sites, reducing pain while maintaining a manageable device structure through modular needle arrays that can be integrated into various delivery mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components such as microporous membranes, reservoirs, and delivery mechanisms that mediate between the medicament source and the skin. These intermediaries enable controlled release and delivery through the micro-needles, managing the complexity of simultaneous multi-site delivery while achieving pain reduction through distributed injection points.
2Reliability
If micron-sized needles or blades are used to pierce the stratum corneum, then drug penetration is improved, but the procedure becomes painful
Solution Approach 1:
The injection function is segmented into multiple micro-needles that simultaneously pierce the skin at numerous small points rather than one large needle. This distributes the mechanical stimulus across many locations, reducing perceived pain while maintaining effective drug penetration through each individual micro-needle into the dermis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the needles from macro-scale to micro-scale dimensions. By reducing needle diameter to micrometer ranges, the mechanical trauma to individual nerve endings is minimized, reducing pain perception while maintaining sufficient penetration depth to deliver medicament through the stratum corneum and into viable tissue.
3Productivity
If a larger area of stratum corneum is targeted for delivery, then penetration efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery area is segmented into multiple discrete injection sites arranged in organized arrays. This segmentation enables coverage of larger skin areas through simultaneous multi-point delivery, improving overall penetration efficiency while managing device complexity through systematic arrangement of needles that can be manufactured and assembled in modular fashion.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-site injection system (10) in accordance with the present invention generally includes a plurality of medicament delivering needles/microprotrusions (18) along with a support therefore. A supply of medicament (36) is provided and a means provided for supplying the medicament to the plurality of needles/microprotrusions in order to effect delivery into a stratum corneum (42) of a user.