Dual-Amplified Patch with Hierarchical Suction Cup and Short Microneedles for Uniform, Accelerated, and Pain-Free Transdermal Delivery of Extracellular Vesicles
발표자
송민우 (성균관대학교)
연구책임자
방창현 (성균관대학교)
초록
내용
Microneedles (MNs) are a key technology for transdermal delivery of biomolecules. However, conventional MNs often require long needles (>600 μm) to achieve sufficient penetration, causing pain or irritation. Also, chemical adhesives used to fix MNs on curved skin can harm tissue. Here, we developed a dual-amplified patch (MN@EV/SC) combining short MNs (<300 μm) with a suction cup (SC) inspired by octopus suckers. This structure provides skin adhesion and improves extracellular vesicle (EV) delivery. Short MNs reduce stress while maintaining delivery efficiency. The SC induces nanoscale deformation of the stratum corneum, facilitating EV diffusion into deeper dermal layers. Furthermore, suction-based adhesion lessens skin damage and improves contact on irregular surfaces. In vivo tests in aged mice showed that MN@EV/SC activates fibroblasts and promotes collagen synthesis, supporting its potential as a pain-free and effective transdermal platform for skin rejuvenation.