Inkjet printing of transdermal microneedles for the delivery of anticancer agents

A novel inkjet printing technology is introduced as a process to coat metal microneedle arrays with three anticancer agents 5-fluororacil, curcumin and cisplatin for transdermal delivery. The hydrophilic graft copolymer Soluplus® was used as a drug carrier and the coating formulations consisted of drug–polymer solutions at various ratios. A piezoelectric dispenser jetted microdroplets on the microneedle surface to develop uniform, accurate and reproducible coating layers without any material losses. Inkjet printing was found to depend on the nozzle size, the applied voltage (mV) and the duration of the pulse (μs). The drug release rates were determined in vitro using Franz type diffusion cells with dermatomed porcine skin. The drug release rates depended on the drug–polymer ratio, the drug lipophilicity and the skin thickness. All drugs presented increased release profiles (750 μm skin thickness), which were retarded for 900 μm skin thickness. Soluplus assisted the drug release especially for the water insoluble curcumin and cisplatin due to its solubilizing capacity. Inkjet printing was proved an effective technology for coating of metal microneedles which can then be used for further transdermal drug delivery applications