Hydrogel Forming Microneedle Development Services

Protheragen-ING is dedicated to providing innovative solutions in the field of transdermal drug delivery. We specialize in the design, development, and production of advanced hydrogel-forming microneedles. With our cutting-edge technology and extensive expertise, we offer a comprehensive range of services to help you bring your hydrogel microneedle products to market successfully.

Background

Hydrogel-forming microneedle is a compelling type of microneedle. It combines the advantages of hydrogels and microneedles and consists of a soluble polymer (cross-linked hydrogel) that is attached to the hydrogel-forming microneedle either by incorporating the drug into the polymer structure during the preparation process or by loading the drug into a separate reservoir and attaching it to the hydrogel-forming microneedle. The hydrogel-forming microneedle pierces the skin and rapidly absorbs interstitial fluid, causing the hydrogel to swell and form a continuous, unobstructed hydrogel catheter that allows the drug to penetrate the skin. This technology has many potential applications, including drug delivery, skin therapy, and vaccination.

Fig. 1 Drug delivery mechanism of hydrogel forming mirconeedles (HFMs) in skin using a drug reservoir (left) and incorporated drug (right) through swell/deswell drug loading at (A) initial insertion with dry HFMs and (B) over time with swollen HFMs with released drug. (Turner JG, et al. 2023)

Our Services

In our hydrogel molding microneedle development services, we offer comprehensive solutions to meet your specific needs. Our services include:

• Design and Prototyping - Our team of engineers and scientists helps develop customized microneedle designs that meet your drug delivery requirements. Using state-of-the-art CAD software and rapid prototyping techniques, we quickly turn concepts into tangible prototypes for evaluation and optimization.
• Formulation Development - We focus on formulating hydrogel compositions with precise rheological properties, swelling behavior, and drug release profiles. Through rigorous experimentation and optimization, we ensure that formulated hydrogels have excellent biocompatibility, mechanical integrity, and drug stability.
• Manufacturing and Fabrication - Utilizing our expertise in microfabrication technology, we have scaled up the production of hydrogel-forming microneedles to meet your commercial needs. Our advanced manufacturing processes ensure reproducibility, consistency, and high throughput for efficient and cost-effective production.
• Characterization and Evaluation -We employ a variety of analytical techniques to thoroughly characterize the performance of hydrogel-forming microneedles. This includes mechanical strength testing, drug release kinetics analysis, skin insertion studies, and biocompatibility assessment. Through rigorous evaluation, we ensure that our microneedles meet the highest quality standards.

Preparation Methods of Hydrogel Forming Microneedles

Our common method for preparing hydrogel-forming microneedles is micro molding, which involves injecting a microneedle matrix in a flowable hydrogel state into a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold using centrifugation and decompression methods, followed by drying. Two-step manufacturing is a common technique for creating MNs for drug delivery, with the active ingredient concentrated at the tip of the MN.

• Precise control of MN size.
• Easy integration of drug encapsulation.
• Highly reproducible.

Protheragen-ING's preferred microneedle materials are biocompatible and non-immunogenic, have good mechanical strength, and are capable of carrying potentially large and complex drugs without damage. Commonly used materials include Gantrez S-97 (a copolymer of PMVE/MA, MeHA), Gantrez AN-139 (a copolymer of PMVE/MA), methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride) (PMVE/MAH), crosslinked 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA), poly (styrene-b-acrylic acid) (PS-b- PAA), modified silk and clay/polymer blends.

Fig. 2 Hydrogel microneedle patch fabrication through a two-step method. (Li Y, et al. 2023)

Benefits of Our Hydrogel Forming Microneedles

By opting for our services, you will get the following benefits of hydrogel forming microneedles:

• Efficient Drug Delivery - deliver drugs directly to the deeper layers of the skin for improved treatment results.
• Controlled Release Performance - enables personalized treatment regimens.
• Convenient and painless - for a better user experience.
• Customizable - in terms of size, shape, and drug loading.

Contact us to learn more about our Hydrogel Forming Microneedle development services and get started on your project.