Recent advancements, challenges and future prospects of microneedle drug delivery system

Novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) are innovative approaches designed to optimize drug delivery, ensuring higher precision and effectiveness. As a part of NDDS, transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) provide a non-invasive approach to delivering medication through the skin. With their ability to release drugs in a controlled and sustained manner, they enhance therapeutic effectiveness and improve patient compliance. Microneedles are micron-sized needles arranged on a patch, designed to penetrate the stratum corneum and facilitate the delivery of hydrophilic, high molecular-weight compounds. While offering several advantages, such as improved drug absorption rates, minimal discomfort, and consistent bioavailability, the microneedle system faces challenges, including issues with insertion, dosage accuracy, skin irritation, and the biocompatibility of materials used. Furthermore, the commercialization of microneedle technology is hindered by manufacturing costs, regulatory issues, and sterilization concerns. Despite these challenges, significant progress is being made in the development of personalized microneedles, combination therapies, wearable devices, and needle-free vaccination methods, which hold great promise for future healthcare advancements. This review highlights the key challenges and prospects of microneedle-based drug delivery systems, emphasizing the need for careful optimization of factors such as geometry, needle length, and biocompatibility to achieve the desired therapeutic outcomes.