This research aimed to manufacture and evaluate in vitro 3D printed microneedles for transdermal drug delivery. Firstly, microneedle arrays were fabricated using a polymer-based material. Subsequently, these arrays were tested for their mechanical strength applying axial load along their length, while prediction of the buckling load was performed using widely known arithmetic models. Additionally, the force required to pierce human skin was calculated in order to verify that microneedles insert human skin without buckling or fracturing. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to simulate the insertion process and complement the experimental findings. Furthermore, permeation studies were carried out in order to compare diffusion of two model dyes with different molecular weight namely; FITC-Dextran (M.W.:4000 Da) and calcein (M.W.:622.54 Da) across full thickness human skin in vitro before and after skin treatment with microneedles. Finally, visualization studies enabled illustration of microneedle perforation sites. The results showed that the manufactured 3D printed microneedle arrays penetrate sufficiently human skin and can significantly enhance the transport of the dyes across human skin.
Keywords: 3D printing; Finite element analysis; Microneedles; Skin delivery; Stereolithography.
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