Neurological diseases affect millions worldwide, and the need for long-term patient-friendly treatments has never been greater.
While needle-based injections are the standard for most therapies, regular drug injections can often be painful and inconvenient. Microneedles, which are tiny, micron-sized needle systems, have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional needles and offer a pain-free way to deliver medicines.
However, most existing microneedles are rigid and can cause discomfort during prolonged use, therefore limiting their adoption in long-term use.
To overcome this, researchers from South
Korea have designed a new microneedle system inspired by the natural mechanism of a bee sting.
Led by Professor Wonku Kang and colleague Dr Sohee Jeon from Chung-Ang University, in collaboration with Dr Jun-Ho Jeong, the team introduces wearable “Electrospun Web Microneedle (EW-MNs)” based patches, which enable long-term and continuous drug delivery through the skin.
“Unlike traditional rigid microneedles, which can cause irritation during prolonged use, our EW-MNs are soft, breathable, and remain anchored to the skin just like a bee stinger,” explains Professor Kang.
To fabricate the EW-MNs, the researchers used an electrospinning process (a technique that uses an electric field to spin very fine polymer fibres) to create a web of nanoscale fibres on metal microneedles. This resulted in a fibrous layer around the microneedle tips, which mimics the barbed structure of a bee sting.
As a result, the microneedles anchor securely into the skin and ensure a steady attachment for continuous drug release. The EW-MNs were then attached to an adhesive tape and a backing layer to
form a patch.
To test the efficacy of the patch, the team loaded the EW-MNs with rivastigmine (a drug commonly used to treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease).
In animal studies using guinea pigs, the microneedle patches significantly improved the absorption of rivastigmine, releasing over twice the drug and covering a five-fold larger area compared to conventional approaches.
Importantly, all this was achieved while maintaining minimum discomfort, and even if any mild skin irritation occurred, it disappeared quickly on removing the patch.
Emphasising the impact of
this technology, Professor Kang says, “With further development, these EW-MNs could revolutionise drug delivery, allowing patients to receive effective long-term treatments without the fear or discomfort of needles!”
In the future, the team aims to extend the applications of EW-MNs beyond neurological diseases, offering medicated patches for a wide range of other chronic diseases. This approach also holds value for elderly patients, children, and cases where safety and patient-compliant treatments are urgently needed.
Overall, the study demonstrates a perfect example of how nature can drive innovations, bringing us one step closer towards safer, more comfortable, and patient-friendly drug delivery.