US researchers produced a drug-loaded array for transdermal delivery of a chemotherapeutic drug where the drug is administered through the skin.
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In this study, the researchers reported producing a drug-loaded array for transdermal delivery of a chemotherapeutic drug where the drug is administered through the skin.
The arrays consist of 25 poly (propylene fumarate) micro-needles, each needle having a tip and base diameter of 20 micrometer and 200 micrometer, respectively, and a height of one mm.
Constructing the array was challenging, said one of the study authors Jae-Won Choi from University of Akron in Ohio, US.
"3D printing this array was difficult, as the printable biomaterial contains some non-printable solvents and drugs," Choi noted.
Dacarbazine, commonly used to treat skin cancer, was blended into the solution prior to cross-linking (a final part of the 3D printing process).
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"We'd like to have a faster drug release, but this will require more material research. Once we improve this process we can look at developing more controlled drug release," Choi noted.
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The results were published in the journal Biofabrication.
Source-IANS