3-Dimensional Coating Polymer Microneedles for Economical and Efficient Transdermal Drug Delivery

Polymer microneedles can be fabricated by a micromolding method, an easy and cost-effective method. However, it is not easy to achieve uniform coating with an aqueous coating solution due to hydrophobic surface of polymer microneedles. 3-Dimensional coating polymer microneedles could deliver more than twice as much dose as in-plane metal microneedles by increasing coating area and the number of microneedles per unit area. A uniform coating was not obtained by addition of coating additives in the coating solution. The satisfied coating was achieved by treatment of surface of polymer microneedle with metal deposition and UV/ozone, and UV/ozone treatment was an ultimate surface treatment method based on biological safety. Calcein coating polymer microneedles were prepared by using UV/ozone treatment and followed dip-coating, and they delivered calcein in porcine skin successfully after 15 min of insertion.