The patch contains two drug compounds - exendin-4 and glucose oxidase - that interacts in the bloodstream to regulate blood sugar for days at a time. Exendin-4 is similar to a molecule the body produces in the intestine in response to food, and does not degrade in the bloodstream for more than an hour. To control the rate the body absorbs exendin-4, which can cause nausea when too much is absorbed, the scientists combined exendin-4 with calcium phosphate to stabilise it. The patch’s release of exendin-4 works this way: Rising glucose levels trigger exendin-4’s release. It then gets insulin flowing to reduce the glucose level, which slows down and stops the release of exendin-4.
Researchers have developed a melanin-enhanced cancer immunotherapy technique that can also serve as a vaccine, based on early experiments done in a mouse model. The technique is applied via a transdermal patch.
Efforts to rid the world of polio have taken another significant step, thanks to research led by University of Queensland bioscience experts and funding from the World Health Organization (WHO). A fresh study of the Nanopatch — a microscopic vaccine delivery platform first developed by UQ researchers — has shown the device more effectively combats poliovirus than needles and syringes.
Microneedle patches provide an alternative to conventional needle-and-syringe immunisation, and potentially offer improved immunogenicity, simplicity, cost-effectiveness, acceptability, and safety. We describe safety, immunogenicity, and acceptability of the first-in-man study on single, dissolvable microneedle patch vaccination against influenza.
PricewaterhouseCoopers published its quarterly MoneyTree Report Friday showing that startups of all stripes garnered a total of $10.6 billion through 891 deals nationwide. However, the deal value and the number of deals fell 36 percent and 25 percent respectively from the same quarter last year.
Microneedling pens are the next generation treatment for safe and effective facial skin rejuvenation. Rejuvapen is an electronic pen like device with 9 fine needles at the tip. The tip moves back and forth and produces microscopic vertical holes in the skin. The vertical holes heal with generating columns of collagen that form scaffolding and tighten the skin. This reduces the pore size and fine lines and allows any dark pigment to egress through the holes. The result is a tighter, brighter and smoother skin.
A bio-responsive microneedle-based patch, integrated with a rhodamine-stained glucose-signal amplifier and calcein-AM-stained pancreatic β-cell capsules, is developed by Z. Gu and co-workers. This “smart cell patch”, described on page 3115, effectively regulates the blood glucose level of type-1 diabetic mice, achieving a reduction for over 10 h. Image credit: Yanqi Ye.
Laser micro-machining method was employed to drill on the surface of PDMS sheets to obtain MN molds. In the fabrication process, the microstructures of MN molds are precisely controlled by changing laser parameters and imported patterns. The MNs prepared from these molds are sharp enough to penetrate the skin. This scalable MN mold fabrication method is helpful for future applications of MNs.
Its vaccines could be an interesting alternative to current treatments, known as ‘desensitization’ or conventional Allergy Immunotherapy (AIT). This process of inducing tolerance to the allergen requires 3-5 years – time that could be saved with Anergis’ products.
The new invention uses a patch to monitor blood sugar levels via sweat, and delivers the diabetes drug metformin through the skin with microneedles. "Diabetics are reluctant to monitor their blood glucose levels because of the painful blood-gathering process," said study author Hyunjae Lee, from Seoul National University in the Republic of Korea. "We highly focused on a noninvasive monitoring and therapy system for diabetics."
Latest advances in 3M hollow microneedle technology. 3M hollow microneedle technology offers a patient-friendly intradermal delivery solution for difficult to deliver biologics, and provides an updated design based on human factors testing and voice-of-the customer research
Here we describe a novel, microfluidic, drop dispensing-based dissolvable microneedle production method that overcomes these issues. Uniquely, heterogeneous arrays, consisting of microneedles of diverse composition, can be easily produced on the same patch. Robustness of the process was demonstrated by incorporating and stabilizing adenovirus and MVA vaccines. Clinically-available trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in DMN patches is fully stable for greater than 6 months at 40 °C. Immunization using low dose TIV-loaded DMN patches induced significantly higher antibody responses compared to intramuscular-based immunization in mice.
We describe, for the first time, stimulus-responsive hydrogel-forming microneedle (MN) arrays that enable delivery of a clinically relevant model drug (ibuprofen) upon application of light. MN arrays were prepared using a polymer prepared from 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) by micromolding. The obtained MN arrays showed good mechanical properties. The system was loaded with up to 5% (w/w) ibuprofen included in a light-responsive 3,5-dimethoxybenzoin conjugate. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the conjugate inside the polymeric MN matrix. In vitro, this system was able to deliver up to three doses of 50 mg of ibuprofen upon application of an optical trigger over a prolonged period of time (up to 160 h). This makes the system appealing as a controlled release device for prolonged periods of time. We believe that this technology has potential for use in “on-demand” delivery of a wide range of drugs in a variety of applications relevant to enhanced patient care.
A novel immunotherapeutic vaccine prevented the development of skin cancer in a mouse model by exploiting the ability of the protein melanin to transform light energy into heat.
Despite the potentially severe consequences of illness and even death, only about 40 percent of adults in the United States receive flu shots each year; however, researchers believe a new self-administered, painless vaccine skin patch containing microscopic needles could significantly increase the number of people who get vaccinated.
Tested on obese mice, the patch reduced abdominal fat, increased metabolism, and brought down glucose levels. It could offer an effective and safe way to fight obesity and diabetes, says codeveloper Zhen Gu, a biomedical engineer at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University.
A dissolvable microneedle patch to administer inactivated influenza vaccine was well-tolerated, with only mild adverse events, according to the first human results of a small randomized phase 1 trial.
Beeyond's insight:
Any chance that ever becomes a reality? We have seen so many such articles, every year. Why isn't any pharma jumping into this? Any idea?...
An adequate immune response to percutaneous vaccine application is generated by delivery of sufficient amounts of antigen to skin and by administration of toxin adjuvants or invasive skin abrasion that leads to an adjuvant effect. Microneedles penetrate the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin, and enable direct delivery of vaccines from the surface into the skin, where immunocompetent dendritic cells are densely distributed.
Needle-syringe devices have been the predominant method for vaccine and drug delivery for swine. Although needle-syringe devices are inexpensive and easily adaptable to different settings, needle-free technology offers advantages compared to conventional vaccine delivery methods including elimination of broken needles, consistent vaccine delivery, reduced vaccine volume and higher antigen dispersion, elimination of accidental worker needle sticks, elimination of needle disposal and less pain and stress
Scientists have been struggling for decades to free diabetics from regular insulin injections. One of the main goals has been to figure out how to transplant healthy beta cells - the insulin-producing cells that fail as a result of diabetes - into patients, but this is an invasive procedure in itself that comes with the risk of rejection.
This investment will provide West with access to NanoPass' knowledge and expertise in the growing area of intradermal drug delivery and future collaboration opportunities to bring new products to market. West's investment will also allow NanoPass to advance its clinical development efforts and support the launch of its microneedle-based device for intradermal delivery of vaccines and drugs.
The patches deliver anti-PD-1 antibodies that prevent the cancer from confusing T cells into ignoring the tumor. Previously, the antibodies have been tried through injections, but not enough reach the cancer cells while potentially causing side effects throughout the body. The antibodies are placed within nanoparticles which are then loaded within the microneedles along with glucose oxidase. When the patches are applied to cancer sites, the blood enters the needles, the glucose reacts with glucose oxidase producing acid that breaks up the nanoparticles. This allows anti-PD-1 to be released in a controlled manner right into the tumor.
An innovative microneedle (MN)-based cell therapy is developed for glucose-responsive regulation of the insulin secretion from exogenous pancreatic β-cells without implantation. One MN patch can quickly reduce the blood-sugar levels (BGLs) of chemically induced type-1 diabetic mice and stabilize BGLs at a reduced level for over 10 h.
Measles is a killer. This viral disease claimed more than 300 lives every day, on average, in 2014 alone. That's according to the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Yet a life-saving vaccine has been available since 1963. Two doses can keep almost everyone who gets them from catching the measles. And outbreaks can largely be prevented if most people who are able to get the vaccine in fact do receive it. And a new drug-dispensing patch could help that happen. It could make it easier to bring the vaccine to the children who need it — especially those in rural areas of developing countries.
Successful development of siRNA therapies has significant potential for the treatment of skin conditions (alopecia, allergic skin diseases, hyperpigmentation, psoriasis, skin cancer, pachyonychia congenital) caused by aberrant gene expression. Although hypodermic needles can be used to effectively deliver siRNA through the stratum corneum, the major challenge is that this approach is painful and the effects are restricted to the injection site. Microneedle arrays may represent a better way to deliver siRNAs across the stratum corneum.
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