Fabrication of Ultra-sharp Polymeric Microneedles via Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Micromachining and Micromolding.

Abstract

Microneedles have recently gained recognition as a promising method in transdermal drug delivery owing to their minimally invasive, painless nature, and they can be flexibly engineered through geometric modifications to meet specific therapeutic requirements. Hence, this study aims to develop microneedle master molds utilizing Computer Numerical Control (CNC) milling technology to create polymeric microneedles with diverse degrees of sharpness to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Previously, our team successfully optimized two critical machining parameters, feed rate, and ramp angle, while analyzing their influence on the obtained needles. Hence, this article presents a comprehensive set of experimental protocols for fabricating and evaluating the performance of the polymeric-based model needles. Furthermore, this work also provides representative results to demonstrate the reproducibility and therapeutic efficacy of the sample needles. Our research team anticipates that this straightforward protocol will enable researchers to create cost-effective, high-precision microneedles, thereby advancing microneedle technology for further biomedical applications, particularly during the pandemic.