3D bioprinted microneedles: merging drug delivery and scaffold science for tissue-specific applications.

Introduction: Three-Dimensional (3D) microneedles have recently gained significant attention due to their versatility, biocompatibility, enhanced permeation, and predictable behavior. The incorporation of biological agents into these 3D constructs has advanced the traditional microneedle into an effective platform for wide-ranging applications.

Areas Covered: This review discusses the current state of microneedle fabrication as well as the developed 3D printed microneedles incorporating labile pharmaceutical agents and biological materials for potential biomedical applications.

Can Nanomedicinal Approaches Provide an Edge to the Efficacy of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors?

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are effective drug molecules for the treatment of various cancers. Nanomedicinal interventions and approaches may not only provide carrying capacities for TKIs but also potentially target tumor-specific environments and even cellular compartments. Nano-inspired drug delivery systems may hence enhance the efficacy of the drugs through enhanced tumour-availability resulting in greater efficacy and decreased side effects.

Antineoplastic nano-lipobubbles for passively targeted ovarian cancer therapy.

The multivariate challenges associated with successful ovarian cancer therapy severely compromises the outcome of therapy and patient quality of life. Coated cholesterol (CHO) and distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) nano-lipobubbles (NLBs) loaded with silibinin and camptothecin were synthesized and evaluated as a possible intravenous delivery system for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Cytotoxicity analysis in addition to in vitro release, zeta potential and drug entrapment studies were conducted on the NLBs.

3D Printed, PVA⁻PAA Hydrogel Loaded-Polycaprolactone Scaffold for the Delivery of Hydrophilic In-Situ Formed Sodium Indomethacin.

3D printed polycaprolactone (PCL)-blended scaffolds have been designed, prepared, and evaluated in vitro in this study prior to the incorporation of a polyvinyl alcohol⁻polyacrylic acid (PVA⁻PAA) hydrogel for the delivery of in situ-formed sodium indomethacin. The prepared PCL⁻PVA⁻PAA scaffold is proposed as a potential structural support system for load-bearing tissue damage where inflammation is prevalent. Uniaxial strain testing of the PCL-blended scaffolds were undertaken to determine the scaffold’s resistance to strain in addition to its thermal, structural, and porosimetric properties.

Drug Delivery Strategies for Antivirals against Hepatitis B Virus.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a significant health challenge due to associated morbidity and mortality from cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer that eventually results in the breakdown of liver functionality. Nanotechnology has the potential to play a pivotal role in reducing viral load levels and drug-resistant HBV through drug targeting, thus reducing the rate of evolution of the disease. Apart from tissue targeting, intracellular delivery of a wide range of drugs is necessary to exert a therapeutic action in the affected organelles.

Targeted Delivery of Amantadine-loaded Methacrylate Nanosphere-ligands for the Potential Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and analyse poly(DL-lactic acid)-methacrylic acid nanospheres bound to the chelating ligand diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)  for the targeted delivery of amantadine in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Methods: The nanospheres were prepared by a double emulsion solvent evaporation technique statistically optimized employing a 3-Factor Box-Behnken experimental design. Analysis of the particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity (Pdl), morphology, drug entrapment and drug release kinetics were carried out.

In Vitro-In Vivo Evaluation of an Oral Ghost Drug Delivery Device for the Delivery of Salmon Calcitonin.

An orally administered site-specific Oral Ghost Drug Delivery (OGDD) device was developed and evaluated for the administration of salmon calcitonin. In vitro drug release studies have been undertaken using biorelevant media and aspirated gastrointestinal fluid from a large white pig in addition to characterization of a formulated trimethyl chitosan blend formulated and prepared into a loaded mini-pellet system. In vivo drug release analysis in a large white pig model has further been undertaken on the OGDD device and a commercial intramuscular injection to ascertain the release properties of the OGDD device in an animal model in comparison with the currently used treatment option for the administration of salmon calcitonin.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of a Hydrogel-Based Microneedle Device for Transdermal Electro-Modulated Analgesia.

With a significant portion of the world suffering from chronic pain, the management and treatment of this condition still requires extensive research to successfully mobilize and functionalize its sufferers. This article details the in vitro and in vivo evaluation of a transdermal electro-modulated hydrogel-microneedle array (EMHM) device for the treatment of chronic pain. In vitro characterization of the electro-modulated hydrogel was undertaken before the determination of the in vivo release, histopathologic and pharmacokinetic profiles of the EMHM in a Sprague Dawley rat model.

A review of the chemical modification techniques of starch.

Starch is a naturally occurring storage copolymer with unique physicochemical properties. There are, however, some key structural properties of starch that can be modified in order to functionalize the copolymer to meet specific requirements. Specifically, the chemical modification of starch provides a variety of physicochemical benefits, some of which have been used previously to functionalize preformed drug delivery systems.

Ex vivo evaluation of a microneedle array device for transdermal application.

A new approach of transdermal drug delivery is the use of microneedles. This promising technique offers the potential to be broadly used for drug administration as it enables the dramatic increase in permeation of medicaments across the stratum corneum. The potential of microneedles has evolved to spawn a plethora of potential transdermal applications.

Current advances in the fabrication of microneedles for transdermal delivery.

The transdermal route is an excellent site for drug delivery due to the avoidance of gastric degradation and hepatic metabolism, in addition to easy accessibility. Although offering numerous attractive advantages, many available transdermal systems are not able to deliver drugs and other compounds as desired. The use of hypodermic needles, associated with phobia, pain and accidental needle-sticks has been used to overcome the delivery limitation of macromolecular compounds.

Patient-controlled analgesia: therapeutic interventions using transdermal electro-activated and electro-modulated drug delivery.

Chronic pain poses a major concern to modern medicine and is frequently undertreated, causing suffering and disability. Patient-controlled analgesia, although successful, does have limitations. Transdermal delivery is the pivot to which analgesic research in drug delivery has centralized, especially with the confines of needle phobias and associated pain related to traditional injections, and the existing limitations associated with oral drug delivery.

An interfacially plasticized electro-responsive hydrogel for transdermal electro-activated and modulated (TEAM) drug delivery.

This paper highlights the use of hydrogels in controlled drug delivery, and their application in stimuli responsive, especially electro-responsive, drug release. electro-conductive hydrogels (ECHs) displaying electro-responsive drug release were synthesized from semi-interpenetrating networks (semi-IPNs) containing a poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) and 1-vinylimidazole (VI) polymer blend as the novel electro-active species. The semi-IPNs are systems comprised of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA).