title: Microneedles: A New Frontier in Nanomedicine Delivery.
abstract: This review aims to concisely chart the development of two individual research fields, namely nanomedicines, with specific emphasis on nanoparticles (NP) and microparticles (MP), and microneedle (MN) technologies, which have, in the recent past, been exploited in combinatorial approaches for the efficient delivery of a variety of medicinal agents across the skin. This is an emerging and exciting area of pharmaceutical sciences research within the remit of transdermal drug delivery and as such will undoubtedly continue to grow with the emergence of new formulation and fabrication methodologies for particles and MN. Firstly, the fundamental aspects of skin architecture and structure are outlined, with particular reference to their influence on NP and MP penetration. Following on from this, a variety of different particles are described, as are the diverse range of MN modalities currently under development. The review concludes by highlighting some of the novel delivery systems which have been described in the literature exploiting these two approaches and directs the reader towards emerging uses for nanomedicines in combination with MN.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Eneko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Larrañeta
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Maelíosa T C
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: McCrudden
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Aaron J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Courtenay
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK. r.donnelly@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ryan F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Donnelly
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008845:Microinjections / Q000295:instrumentation*; D050997:Nanomedicine / Q000295:instrumentation; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009339:Needles; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012869:Skin Absorption; D014611:Vaccination / Q000295:instrumentation; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014612:Vaccines
keywords: drug delivery; microneedles; microparticles; nanomedicine; nanoparticles; vaccines