MIT
New patch delivers drugs through the skin using ultrasound
MIT scientists have developed a new patch capable of delivering drugs through the skin more efficiently and painlessly.
The device uses ultrasound pulses to open the skin, which could improve topical medications or even tattoos, reported the New Atlas.
Many drugs are given orally or intravenously. While the first requires larger doses, the second is unpleasant and both are difficult to target specific areas.
In a new study, recently published in Advanced Materialsthe MIT team developed a way to deliver drugs through the skin, directly to where they are to be administered.
The team calls the system the Conformable Ultrasound Sonophoresis Patch (cUSP), inserted into a hydrogel that adheres to the user’s skin. Inside the sticker are four transducers connected by copper wires to conduct electricity.
Above each transducer is a cavity that contains drug molecules dissolved in liquid. When energized, they vibrate and create bubbles in the liquid, which in turn creates microjets of fluid that fire through the tough outer layer of the skin.
The researchers tested the system on samples of pig skin, providing a type of B vitamin called niacinamide, used in sunscreens and moisturizers. They verified that the cUSP was able to send 26 times more molecules of the substance through the skin than an adhesive without the aid of ultrasound.
They also compared cUSP to another emerging method of painless drug delivery — microneedle patches, which contain tiny freeze-dried particles of a drug that penetrate the skin and dissolve.
The ultrasound patch was able to deliver its niacinamide load within 30 minutes, while the microneedle patch took six hours administering the same amount.
The researchers say this technique could be particularly useful for administering drugs to treat skin conditions such as burns, skin cancer or aging symptoms.
With further refinement, the system could send deeper payloads to reach the bloodstream – like fentanyl – or hormones – like insulin or progesterone. It may even help to apply tattoos painlessly.
“The ease of use and high repeatability offered by this system constitute a innovative alternative for patients and consumers suffering from skin conditions and premature skin ageing,” said Canan Dagdeviren, senior author of the study.
“Drug administration in this way may offer less systemic toxicity and is more local, comfortable and controllable,” he concluded.
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