Breaking Barriers: Microneedles in Therapeutics and Diagnostics

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "B:Biology and Biomedicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2026 | Viewed by 3497

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, NY 10029, USA
Interests: microneedle; nanomedicine; biotherapeutics; preclinical and analytical development; advance biophysical characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Interests: microneedle formulation; solubility enhancement; DPI; analytical method; nano-formulations

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue welcomes contributions that highlight recent advances in microneedle design, fabrication, and application, with a focus on platforms that enable the precise, targeted, and painless delivery of small molecules, biologics, and vaccines. We welcome original research and reviews covering solid, coated, dissolving, and hollow microneedles and hybrid systems that integrate sensing, controlled release, or smart feedback features.

In addition, this Special Issue aims to explore challenges in clinical translation, including regulatory hurdles, manufacturing scalability, and stability concerns. We particularly seek papers that cover topics such as transdermal delivery enhancements (e.g., heat, ultrasound), skin interface optimization, and diagnostic sampling using microneedles.

By uniting themes of precision, innovation, and patient-centric design, this Special Issue aims to capture the current momentum in microneedle research and demonstrate how these tiny tools are breaking barriers in both therapeutic and diagnostic landscapes—transforming the future of personalized medicine, painless treatment, and on-skin technology.

Dr. Satish Rojekar
Guest Editor

Dr. Harsha Jain
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • microneedles
  • transdermal
  • biologics
  • vaccines
  • diagnostics
  • small molecule
  • fabrication
  • personalized

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1797 KB  
Article
Development and Characterization of Dissolving Microneedles for the Buccal Delivery of Cannabidiol (CBD)
by Eleni Paganopoulou, Emmanouil Tzimtzimis, Dimitrios Tzetzis, Emmanuel Panteris, Chrysanthi Bekiari, Nikolaos Bouropoulos, Christos Cholevas, Zeeshan Ahmad, Paraskevi Kyriaki Monou and Dimitrios G. Fatouros
Micromachines 2026, 17(2), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020260 - 17 Feb 2026
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Abstract
This study aimed to develop dissolving microneedles (MNs) for the buccal delivery of cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is a non-psychotomimetic phytocannabinoid with anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic properties. The MN arrays were produced using micromolding, which has the ability of scalability. However, this approach lacks the [...] Read more.
This study aimed to develop dissolving microneedles (MNs) for the buccal delivery of cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is a non-psychotomimetic phytocannabinoid with anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic properties. The MN arrays were produced using micromolding, which has the ability of scalability. However, this approach lacks the ability to customize needle geometry; thus, additive manufacturing was implemented in the study. Digital Light Processing (DLP) printing is a promising way to produce molds with customized MN architecture. In the present study, molds were fabricated from 3D-printed MN arrays to prepare dissolving MNs for buccal administration. Polymeric needles based on Eudragit L100-55 and Eudragit RSPO were produced from reverse molds and they were evaluated regarding their physiochemical and mechanical properties, followed by in vitro and ex vivo studies using porcine buccal mucosa. Visualization studies were conducted using confocal scanning laser microscopy, whereas the membrane integrity of the porcine mucosa upon application of the MNs was assessed by histological evaluation. Our results suggest that the needles can be effectively inserted into the buccal tissue and release the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in a controlled manner. This approach offers a patient-friendly alternative to oral CBD delivery, bypassing first-pass metabolism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breaking Barriers: Microneedles in Therapeutics and Diagnostics)
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Review

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26 pages, 2231 KB  
Review
Microneedle Technologies for Drug Delivery: Innovations, Applications, and Commercial Challenges
by Kranthi Gattu, Deepika Godugu, Harsha Jain, Krishna Jadhav, Hyunah Cho and Satish Rojekar
Micromachines 2026, 17(1), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17010102 - 13 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2189
Abstract
Microneedle (MN) technologies have emerged as a groundbreaking platform for transdermal and intradermal drug delivery, offering a minimally invasive alternative to oral and parenteral routes. Unlike passive transdermal systems, MNs allow the permeation of hydrophilic macromolecules, such as peptides, proteins, and vaccines, by [...] Read more.
Microneedle (MN) technologies have emerged as a groundbreaking platform for transdermal and intradermal drug delivery, offering a minimally invasive alternative to oral and parenteral routes. Unlike passive transdermal systems, MNs allow the permeation of hydrophilic macromolecules, such as peptides, proteins, and vaccines, by penetrating the stratum corneum barrier without causing pain or tissue damage, unlike hypodermic needles. Recent advances in materials science, microfabrication, and biomedical engineering have enabled the development of various MN types, including solid, coated, dissolving, hollow, hydrogel-forming, and hybrid designs. Each type has unique mechanisms, fabrication techniques, and pharmacokinetic profiles, providing customized solutions for a range of therapeutic applications. The integration of 3D printing technologies and stimulus-responsive polymers into MN systems has enabled patches that combine drug delivery with real-time physiological sensing. Over the years, MN applications have grown beyond vaccines to include the delivery of insulin, anticancer agents, contraceptives, and various cosmeceutical ingredients, highlighting the versatility of this platform. Despite this progress, broader clinical and commercial adoption is still limited by issues such as scalable and reliable manufacturing, patient acceptance, and meeting regulatory expectations. Overcoming these barriers will require coordinated efforts across engineering, clinical research, and regulatory science. This review thoroughly summarizes MN technologies, beginning with their classification and drug-delivery mechanisms, and then explores innovations, therapeutic uses, and translational challenges. It concludes with a critical analysis of clinical case studies and a future outlook for global healthcare. By comparing technological progress with regulatory and commercial hurdles, this article highlights the opportunities and limitations of MN systems as a next-generation drug-delivery platform. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breaking Barriers: Microneedles in Therapeutics and Diagnostics)
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