Recent Updates in Vaccine Delivery through Microneedles

Abstract

Recent coronavirus pandemic and its global socio-economic impact has re-emphasized the need for safe, fast, and efficient delivery of vaccines for humankind. With advent of technological advances, and to improve patient acquiescence, several techniques for fast, effective, and safe delivery of vaccines have been researched and published in the literature in last three decades. These delivery enhancement techniques include but are not limited to electroporation, microneedles (MN), ultrasound, iontophoresis, etc. This review aims at discussing the current research undergoing in vaccine delivery, specifically focusing on microneedles assisted, the historical background of microneedles and their introduction to drug delivery area, and a special focus on formulation challenges and stability in these systems. The review also sheds light on regulatory challenges one must keep in mind for bringing a successful microneedles-based vaccine delivery into market as well as a snapshot of current commercially available microneedles-based products in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.

Current approaches in smart nano‐inspired drug delivery: A narrative review

“…Various types of micro-needles are solid type, coated micro-needle, those using hydrogel, dissolving micro-needle and hollow micro-needle. [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55] F I G U R E 2 Drug loading strategies, modes of action, increased specificity, and half-life of liposome-based drug delivery systems.…”

“…Micro-needle technology is useful in delivering anesthetics, vaccines, hormones like insulin, pain management drugs, inflammatory skin diseases, cancer and others. [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55] Micro-needle technology was recently applied in treating acne, wherein micro-needles were employed to deliver ultrasoundresponsive zinc NPs to kill the Propionibacterium sp. responsible for acnes.…”

“…As drug delivery through transdermal route at the desired location is not efficiently carried out due to dermal barrier, micro‐needles are suggested as a novel drug delivery mode 48–55 . Here, the skin is penetrated with micron‐size needle for improved drug transportability to the desired location.…”

“…Micro‐needles are prepared from materials like silicon, stainless steel, platinum, palladium, nickel, palladium‐cobalt alloy, ceramics, silica glass, carbohydrates (maltose, mannitol, trehalose, sucrose, xylitol, galactose, and polysaccharides), and biopolymers. Various types of micro‐needles are solid type, coated micro‐needle, those using hydrogel, dissolving micro‐needle and hollow micro‐needle 48–55 . Dermatological applications of micro‐needles in managing skin diseases are huge.…”

“…Dermatological applications of micro‐needles in managing skin diseases are huge. Micro‐needle technology is useful in delivering anesthetics, vaccines, hormones like insulin, pain management drugs, inflammatory skin diseases, cancer and others 48–55 …”