Recent Advances in Microneedle-Based Drug Delivery Systems: Fabrication Strategies, Therapeutic Applications and Future Perspectives

Microneedles have been accepted as the latest, minimally invasive drug delivery devices that offer several merits over traditional drug delivery methods, in particular, the oral and injection routes. Since they consist of an array of small needles that are capable of penetrating the skin, microneedles are considered the best method for drug delivery. It has been reported that the novel technique enhances the effectiveness of the drug by making its administration more comfortable to patients. Examples of microneedles include solid, coated, hollow, dissolving, and hydrogel microneedles, which were designed to ensure specific benefits. In this regard, coated and hollow microneedles are used for drug delivery into the skin, while solid microneedles are meant to facilitate drug diffusion. Hydrogels and dissolving microneedles minimise biohazardous sharp waste by enabling controlled drug delivery. The objective of this paper is to conduct an analysis of the microneedles drug delivery technology from various perspectives such as its structure, technology behind manufacturing, and mechanism of delivering medicines. Furthermore, one more advantage of conducting this kind of analysis is the ability to deliver macromolecules which is believed to be a significant part of microneedles drug delivery technology. Nevertheless, despite the advantages of microneedles, there are still a number of problems associated with this technology such as the rate of drug delivery, mechanical precision, expensive cost of production, and regulations which are considered to be the major hurdles on the path to implementation of this drug delivery technology into practice. All things considered, microneedles drug delivery method is widely regarded as the most effective means of delivering medications that is expected to completely revolutionize the health care sector in the near future.