3D printed microneedle for vaccine delivery: prospect and application

Abstract

Microneedle mediated delivery based research has garnered great interest in recent years. Microneedles (MNs) are designed to target the outermost skin barrier layer, the stratum corneum. A quick response can be observed due to disruption of stratum corneum by microneedles. For immunization, skin is an attractive administration site which might be an alternative for traditional intramuscular or subcutaneous vaccination. Vaccination using microneedles is especially appealing because it not only offers expected advantages but also enable vaccine targeting to the skin. To solve the traditional vaccine delivery problem, 3D printing might be an option because of allowing the rapid realization of customizable yet complicated microfluidic and microneedle features. The aim of 3D printing is the targeted release production and customized drug delivery system. The 3DP technique controls the thickness, shape, percentage fill, dose of the drug, and adjustment of dose as per patient need. In this review, we will discuss the probability of success in case of 3D-printed microneedle for vaccine delivery.