Microneedle Transdermal Delivery Device

• US 20100042050A1
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dewan Fazlul Hoque Chowdhury
• Original Assignee: Dewan Fazlul Hoque Chowdhury
• Inventors: Chowdhury, Dewan Fazlul Hoque
• Granted Patent: US 9,649,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/003 having a lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0061 Methods for using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles

Abstract

A drug delivery device that delivers pharmacologically active substances transdermally using microneedles arranged on a belt mounted rotatably about a plurality of rollers, the microneedles having an associated drug reservoir mounted on the belt which is compressed when the needles and belt are brought into contact with the skin.

Claims

1. A transdermal device comprising:

a first roller and a second roller;

a plurality of microneedles supported by at least the first roller such that movement of the first roller over the skin of a patient will cause it to rotate and bring the microneedles into contact with the skin of the patient.

2. A transdermal device according to claim 1, wherein the microneedles are carried on a belt that is wrapped at least partially around the first roller and the belt unwraps from the first roller as it rotates.

3. A transdermal device according to claim 2, wherein the second roller is positioned so as to follow the first roller as it is moved over the skin of the patient and to apply pressure to the belt that has unwrapped from the first roller.

4. A transdermal device according to claim 3, wherein movement of the second roller over the skin of the patient will cause the second roller to rotate and take up the belt, thereby withdrawing the microneedles from the skin.

5. A transdermal device according to claim 4, wherein the belt is in the form of a closed loop around the first and second rollers.

6. A transdermal device according to claim 2, wherein the microneedles are arrayed in rows transverse to the direction of travel of the belt.

7. A transdermal device according to claim 2, wherein the microneedles are carried on a patch that is affixed to the belt.

8. A transdermal device according to claim 2, wherein each of the rollers carries teeth for mechanical or frictional engagement with the belt.

9. A transdermal device according to claim 1, wherein each of the microneedles has a sharp edge for penetrating the skin.

10. A transdermal device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more intermediate rollers between the first and second rollers.

11. A transdermal device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the rollers is asymmetrical about its axis of rotation.

12. A transdermal device according to claim 1, further comprising a support frame, the support frame having a glide track in which the rollers are rotatably and slidably mounted.

13. A transdermal device according to claim 12, further comprising a casing that holds the rollers in a mutually spaced relationship, whereby sliding the casing relative to the support frame causes the rollers to slide as a unit along the glide track.

14. A transdermal device according to claim 13, further comprising means for sliding the casing under automatic control.

15. A transdermal device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more compressible reservoirs supported by at least the first roller such that rotation of the first roller when it moves over the skin of the patient will bring the reservoirs into contact with the skin of the patient;

and wherein each of the microneedles has a bore that is in fluid communication with a reservoir.

16. A transdermal device according to claim 15, wherein the relative position of each microneedle and the reservoir with which it is in fluid communication is such that on rotation of the first roller the microneedle will come into contact with the skin before the reservoir does.

17. A transdermal device according to claim 15, wherein each reservoir has a one-way valve permitting air to be evacuated from the reservoir when it is compressed, the reservoir being sufficiently resilient to rebound after it is compressed.

18. A transdermal device according to claim 15, wherein each reservoir has a port through which air can be evacuated from the reservoir by connecting the port to a source of low pressure.

19. A transdermal device according to claim 17, further comprising means for analysing fluid drawn from the patient through the microneedles in response to low pressure in the reservoir.

20. A method of applying microneedles to the skin of a patient, comprising moving a first roller and a second roller over the skin of the patient, thereby causing the rollers to rotate and to bring a plurality of microneedles supported by at least the first roller into contact with the skin of the patient.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the microneedles are carried on a belt that is wrapped at least partially around the first roller and, as the first roller rotates, the belt unwraps from it to lie against the skin.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the second roller follows the first roller as it moves over the skin of the patient and the second roller applies pressure to the belt that has unwrapped from the first roller.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein, as the second roller moves over the skin of the patient, it rotates and takes up the belt, thereby withdrawing the microneedles from the skin.

24. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of compressing between the first roller and the skin a reservoir that is in fluid communication with one or more of the microneedles, thereby forcing a substance from the reservoir through the microneedles and into the patient.

25. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of evacuating air from a reservoir that is in fluid communication with one or more of the microneedles, thereby drawing fluid from the patient through the microneedles in response to low pressure in the reservoir.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the step of evacuating air from the reservoir comprises compressing the reservoir between one of the rollers and the skin to force air out of the reservoir through a one-way valve, followed by the step of allowing the reservoir to rebound resiliently.

27. A transdermal device comprising:

a roller;

a plurality of microneedles supported by the roller such that movement of the roller over the skin of a patient will cause the roller to rotate and bring the microneedles into contact with the skin; and

one or more compressible reservoirs supported by the roller such that the rotation of the roller when it moves over the skin will bring the reservoirs into contact with the skin;

wherein each of the microneedles has a bore that is in fluid communication with one of the reservoirs.