According to Research and Markets, in 2016, the global wearable patch market was expected to expand at a whopping CAGR of 88.27% through 2020, in terms of units shipped. This included patches for the treatment and delivery of medications, nicotine and anti-aging actives. As such, opportunity exists for product developers who can maximize delivery efficacy from the patch format.
According to Research and Markets, in 2016, the global wearable patch market was expected to expand at a whopping CAGR of 88.27% through 2020, in terms of units shipped. This included patches for the treatment and delivery of medications, nicotine and anti-aging actives. As such, opportunity exists for product developers who can maximize delivery efficacy from the patch format.
Enter: Fujifilm Corp., which, in a new patent application, explains how transdermal absorption sheets can be improved for topical delivery. As the inventors explain, during both production and use, transdermal sheets are subject to forces that can jeopardize their capacity to support microneedles as they puncture skin and deliver their payload.
Various patch proposals have been made but the present patent claims to have identified the sweet spot of patch strengths to support transdermal delivery systems.
Transdermal absorption sheet
European Patent Application EP3266494
Publication date: Jan. 10, 2018
Assignee: Fujifilm Corp.
Disclosed in this patent application is a transdermal absorption sheet comprising a sheet-like portion and a plurality of needle-like protruding portions containing a drug or other active. Said absorption sheet is designed to withstand the impact of use, i.e., during the microneedle puncturing of skin.
Specifically, the absorption sheet has a maximum thickness of 15 µm to 5,000 µm, and an average thickness from 10 µm to 500 µm. This ensures the sheet is neither too thin, incurring damage during use, nor too thick, bending the microneedles and impeding delivery. The drug contained therein may include peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, vaccines, medical compounds or cosmetic components.
