Hollow microneedle for transdermal delivery of active molecules and/or for the sampling of biological fluids and manufacturing method of such hollow microneedle

Method for the thermal activation of the release of an active ingredient by means of a micro-needle (7;

• 8;
• 9), said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) being made of a polymeric material added with metal particles, preferably particles of a noble metal, even more preferably gold particles, a blind cavity (77) being defined in said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) and containing said active ingredient, comprising the step of:
• exposing said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) to a coherent radiation having a predetermined wavelength such to heat by radiation said metal particles, said coherent radiation being preferably in the near infrared field.

Method for obtaining through photolithography at least one micro-needle (7;

• 8;
• 9) for the transdermal administration of active molecules and/or the sampling of biological fluids, comprising the step of:
• exposing a photo-cross linking polymer in liquid phase to an energy radiation capable of causing the hardening thereof, a photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being interposed between the source of said energy radiation and said photo-cross linking polymer, said photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being configured in a manner such to generate in said photo-cross linking polymer a peripheral shadow area, a central shadow area and a lighting area confined between said peripheral shadow area and said central shadow area, specifically with the aim of obtaining a hollow micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) by means of said photolithography, wherein said photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) comprises a peripheral region (4;
• 6) of impermeability to said energy radiation and a central region (3;
• 5) of impermeability to said energy radiation, said peripheral region (4;
• 6) being suitable to generate said peripheral shadow area and said central region (3;
• 5) being suitable to generate said central shadow area, and wherein said peripheral region (4;
• 6) and said central region (3;
• 5) are distinct and separate from each other,
• wherein, the outer profile (40;
• 60) of said photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being the line that internally delimits said peripheral region (4;
• 6) and the inner profile (30;
• 50) of said photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being the line that externally delimits said central region (3;
• 5), said outer profile (40;
• 60) entirely encloses said inner profile (30;
• 50), and
• wherein the geometric center (C4;
• C6) of said outer profile (40;
• 60) is arranged at a predetermined distance (f) with respect to the geometric center (C3;
• C5) of said inner profile (30;
• 50), specifically for the purpose to obtain an asymmetric development of said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) during said photolithography.

Method for obtaining through photolithography at least one micro-needle (7;

• 8;
• 9) for transdermal administration of active molecules and/or for the sampling of biological fluids, comprising the step of:
• exposing a photo-cross linking polymer in liquid phase to an energy radiation capable of causing the hardening thereof, a photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being interposed between the source of said energy radiation and said photo-cross linking polymer, said photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being configured in a manner such to generate in said photo-cross linking polymer a peripheral shadow area, a central shadow area and a lighting area confined between said peripheral shadow area and said central shadow area, specifically with the aim of obtaining a hollow micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) by means of said photolithography, further comprising a step between:
• interrupting the exposure of said photo-cross linking polymer to said energy radiation before a predetermined duration, specifically with the aim of obtaining a through cavity (88;
• 99) in said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9);
• interrupting the exposure of said photo-cross linking polymer to said energy radiation after a predetermined duration, specifically with the aim of obtaining a blind cavity (77) in said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9);
• setting the power of said source of said energy radiation below a predetermined power, specifically with the aim of obtaining a through cavity (88;
• 99) in said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9);
• setting the power of said source of said energy radiation above a predetermined power, specifically with the aim of obtaining a blind cavity (77) in said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9).

Method for obtaining through photolithography at least one micro-needle (7;

• 8;
• 9) for the transdermal administration of active molecules and/or for the sampling of biological fluids, comprising the phase of:
• exposing a photo-cross linking polymer in liquid phase to an energy radiation capable of causing the hardening thereof, a photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being interposed between the source of said energy radiation and said photo-cross linking polymer, said photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being configured in a manner such to generate in said photo-cross linking polymer a peripheral shadow area, a central shadow area and a lighting area confined between said peripheral shadow area and said central shadow area, specifically with the aim of obtaining a hollow micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) by means of said photolithography,
• wherein the said photo-cross linking polymer is added with a photosensitive polymer or with a photosensitive compound, in particular in order to make the micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) suitable for being used to release an active ingredient only under conditions of exposure of the said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) to a coherent radiation of predetermined wavelength and/or
• wherein said photo-cross linking polymer is added with metal particles, preferably with particles of a noble metal, even more preferably with gold particles, specifically with the aim of making said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) suitable to be used to release an active ingredient only in conditions of heating by irradiation of said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) and/or
• wherein said photo-cross linking polymer is added with an active ingredient.

Method for obtaining through photolithography at least one micro-needle (7;

• 8;
• 9) for the transdermal administration of active molecules and/or for the sampling of biological fluids, comprising the step of:
• exposing a photo-cross linking polymer in liquid phase to an energy radiation capable of causing the hardening thereof, a photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being interposed between the source of said energy radiation and said photo-cross linking polymer, said photolithographic mask (1;
• 2) being configured in a manner such to generate in said photo-cross linking polymer a peripheral shadow area, a central shadow area and a lighting area confined between said peripheral shadow area and said central shadow area, specifically with the aim of obtaining a hollow micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) by means of said photolithography,
• wherein the molecular weight of said photo-cross linking polymer is modular so as to confer to said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) morphological characteristics such to adjust the speed of release of the molecules of an active ingredient through said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) and/or
• wherein the wettability of said photo-cross linking polymer is modular so as to confer to said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) surface chemical characteristics and/or according to the hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic of an active ingredient to be released through said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9).

Micro-needle (7;

• 8;
• 9) for the transdermal administration of active molecules and/or for sampling biological fluids, said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) being made of polymeric material, wherein a cavity is defined in said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9),
• wherein said polymeric material is added with a photosensitive polymer or with a photosensitive compound and/or
• wherein said polymeric material is added with metal particles, preferably with particles of a noble metal, even more preferably with gold particles and/or
• wherein said polymeric material is added with an active ingredient.

Device for the transdermal administration of active molecules and/or for sampling biological fluids, comprising at least one micro-needle (7;

• 8;
• 9) and a support element, said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) being made of material polymeric, a cavity being defined in said micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9), said at least one micro-needle (7;
• 8;
• 9) extending from a surface of said support element moving away from said support element,
• wherein said surface of said support element is flexible.