Wearable ultrasound microneedle patch for on-demand and sustained management of gouty arthritis

Abstract

Conventional microneedle-based transdermal delivery is often limited by passive diffusion or endogenous stimuli, offering poor control over release kinetics and insufficient penetration into deep tissues. Here, we report a fully integrated wearable drug delivery system that couples a flexible and stretchable ultrasound-responsive microneedle patch (Us-MP) with a portable, Bluetooth-programmable ultrasound driver. This platform enables on-demand drug release, with rapid delivery within 10 min or sustained release up to 50 h. Moreover, ultrasound-induced directional acoustic streaming at the microneedle tips significantly enhances transdermal penetration. As a proof of concept, this system enabled precise colchicine delivery, producing rapid anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling effects in acute gouty arthritis, as well as long-term therapeutic and preventive efficacy in chronic gouty arthritis. This work establishes a controllable and versatile strategy for personalized transdermal therapy, with potential applications across diverse diseases and stages of progression.