MEMS Based Microneedles in the Field of Drug Delivery

Abstract

The technology of MEMS has paved way for many biomedical applications where a lot of new devices at microscale have emerged making the diagnosis and treatment of diseases more easy and efficient. Microneedles are one such example which have been used in drug delivery, vaccines as well and also in the field of cosmetology for skin treatments for scars, pigmentation, acne etc. Apart from penetration into the skin, the microneedles are also used in treating eye with some insertion of bioactives and also in the treatment of cells. The success of microneedles design and its application would depend solely on how it gets infused into the skin, skin recovery post the microneedle removal, how the drug stays stable during manufacturing and the delivery as well. Microneedle can pierce into the skin only when required amount of pressure is put for the insertion. This paper reviews on inception and the evolution of MEMS based microneedles and a microneedle is designed to show through the simulation that the force of 1.29N is required to break through the human skin for the reliable delivery of the drug.