Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors
Topical therapy with imiquimod in a cream [5% w/w imiquimod cream (Aldara™)] for the treatment of nodular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) currently results in low cure rates, attributed to low imiquimod permeation. Herein we have developed novel microneedle array patches (MAPs), to maximize imiquimod int...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Drug Delivery |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10717544.2025.2527824 |
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| author | Akmal H. Sabri Fiona Smith Zachary Cater Pratik Gurnani Ami Nash Victoria Brentville Lindy Durrant John McKenna Joel Segal David J. Scurr Maria Marlow |
| author_facet | Akmal H. Sabri Fiona Smith Zachary Cater Pratik Gurnani Ami Nash Victoria Brentville Lindy Durrant John McKenna Joel Segal David J. Scurr Maria Marlow |
| author_sort | Akmal H. Sabri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Topical therapy with imiquimod in a cream [5% w/w imiquimod cream (Aldara™)] for the treatment of nodular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) currently results in low cure rates, attributed to low imiquimod permeation. Herein we have developed novel microneedle array patches (MAPs), to maximize imiquimod intradermal delivery and retention in the skin, with potential as an efficacious treatment for BCC. Enhanced delivery of imiquimod in pig skin and ex vivo BCC tissue was found with the obelisk poly N-acryloylmorpholine (pNAM) MAPs as compared to the 5% w/w imiquimod cream and MAPS manufactured from a commercially available polymer (PVPVA). Additionally, the increased retention in ex vivo BCC tissue was found with the obelisk pNAM MAPs as compared to the 5% w/w imiquimod cream. In addition, detailed characterization of single needles and mechanistic studies of MAPs in tissue using mass spectrometry imaging confirmed the imiquimod homogeneity in the needles. Most importantly, the in vivo tumor efficacy study showed that pNAM obelisk MAPs could deliver imiquimod into the tumor, retarding tumor growth. This study suggests that the drug loaded obelisk pNAM MAPs manufactured here may be of clinical utility for localized intradermal delivery of imiquimod. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7d4c746cdc874739bfac9384b98cd74b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1071-7544 1521-0464 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Drug Delivery |
| spelling | doaj-art-7d4c746cdc874739bfac9384b98cd74b2025-08-20T03:50:07ZengTaylor & Francis GroupDrug Delivery1071-75441521-04642025-12-0132110.1080/10717544.2025.2527824Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumorsAkmal H. Sabri0Fiona Smith1Zachary Cater2Pratik Gurnani3Ami Nash4Victoria Brentville5Lindy Durrant6John McKenna7Joel Segal8David J. Scurr9Maria Marlow10School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKSchool of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKAdvanced Manufacturing Technology Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKSchool of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKSchool of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKScancell Ltd, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, Nottingham, UKScancell Ltd, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, Nottingham, UKLeicester Royal Infirmary University Hospitals Leicester Dermatology Department, Infirmary Square, Leicester, UKAdvanced Manufacturing Technology Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKSchool of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKSchool of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKTopical therapy with imiquimod in a cream [5% w/w imiquimod cream (Aldara™)] for the treatment of nodular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) currently results in low cure rates, attributed to low imiquimod permeation. Herein we have developed novel microneedle array patches (MAPs), to maximize imiquimod intradermal delivery and retention in the skin, with potential as an efficacious treatment for BCC. Enhanced delivery of imiquimod in pig skin and ex vivo BCC tissue was found with the obelisk poly N-acryloylmorpholine (pNAM) MAPs as compared to the 5% w/w imiquimod cream and MAPS manufactured from a commercially available polymer (PVPVA). Additionally, the increased retention in ex vivo BCC tissue was found with the obelisk pNAM MAPs as compared to the 5% w/w imiquimod cream. In addition, detailed characterization of single needles and mechanistic studies of MAPs in tissue using mass spectrometry imaging confirmed the imiquimod homogeneity in the needles. Most importantly, the in vivo tumor efficacy study showed that pNAM obelisk MAPs could deliver imiquimod into the tumor, retarding tumor growth. This study suggests that the drug loaded obelisk pNAM MAPs manufactured here may be of clinical utility for localized intradermal delivery of imiquimod.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10717544.2025.2527824Microneedlesbasal cell carcinomaimiquimodmass spectrometryskin permeationToF-SIMS |
| spellingShingle | Akmal H. Sabri Fiona Smith Zachary Cater Pratik Gurnani Ami Nash Victoria Brentville Lindy Durrant John McKenna Joel Segal David J. Scurr Maria Marlow Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors Drug Delivery Microneedles basal cell carcinoma imiquimod mass spectrometry skin permeation ToF-SIMS |
| title | Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors |
| title_full | Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors |
| title_fullStr | Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors |
| title_short | Immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors |
| title_sort | immunomodulator loaded microneedle arrays for targeted intradermal drug delivery to skin tumors |
| topic | Microneedles basal cell carcinoma imiquimod mass spectrometry skin permeation ToF-SIMS |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10717544.2025.2527824 |
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