IIT Kharagpur Researchers Developed Microneedle To Administer Drug Without Any Pain
Researchers at IIT Kharagpur have developed a microneedle which is capable of administering large drug molecules in painless way, a press release issued by the institute said on Saturday.
The Institute’s Department of Electronics & Electrical Comm. Engineering has not only reduced the diameter size of the microneedles but also increased the strength in order that they are doing not to break while penetrating the skin, it said.
The microneedle are often used even in COVID-19 vaccination in future, besides for insulin delivery, the statement said.
“A typical use might be achieved in insulin delivery or medication for diseases of the systema lymphaticum , skin including some sorts of cancer, or maybe COVID-19 vaccine,” lead researcher Prof Tarun Kanti Bhattacharyya said.
He said, “We have fabricated high strength glass carbon microneedles which may withstand the skin resistive forces. Added to the present is our designing of the ionic polymer metal composite membrane based micropump which increases the flow of the drug molecules in controlled & precise manner. we’ve further integrated this microneedle & micropump to attain controlled drug delivery.”
He said the device would find extensive use in any sort of transdermal medication.
“The more we engage in multidisciplinary R&D, better we might be ready to produce customized microneedle based effective delivery systems,” he added.
The microneedle has the potential to rework the drug delivery system from the present syringe based one to an easy but effective experience for the patients.
The drug delivery device has been successfully tested with animals as per medical protocol.
The researchers have also filed for a patent in India & published the research in IEEE & Nature journals.
The research for this innovation was funded by the Ministry of Electronics & knowledge Technology (MEITY) & Department of Science of Technology of state of India, the statement added.
