American engineers from North Carolina State University have developed a flexible electronic patch with microneedles designed for painless injection of various drugs. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature Communications (NatComms).
The experimental device, called the Spatiotemporal On-Demand Patch (SOP), is a small polymer plate coated with numerous tiny drug-filled spikes. When the plate is pressed against the body, the needles painlessly penetrate the upper layer of skin.
SOP differs from other microneedle patches because of the electrical circuitry that allows the spikes to be activated individually with different drugs. This can be done from a smartphone or computer. After receiving a signal, the device heats the desired elements, dissolves them and releases the substances within 30 seconds.
In laboratory tests using an electronic patch, mice were successfully injected with multiple doses of melatonin, a hormone that helps promote healthy sleep.
The authors hope to use their technology to treat Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic diseases by programming the patch to automatically inject medication on a schedule. According to scientists, dozens or even hundreds of doses of medicine can be loaded into such a device.
Previous scientists developed “Smart” insulin injection technology, which allows you to significantly reduce the number of injections for diabetes.