Microneedle

The use of so-called microneedles is becoming increasingly important in medicine. In this method of treatment, extremely delicate and microscopically small needles – which are usually applied on a roller – are used to insert fine channels into the uppermost layers of the skin and thus transport active substances under the skin.

In the future, this technology will play an even greater role in medical technology – above all as a painless and minimally invasive method of therapy and measurement.

Many companies are already working on the further development of this technology and rapid market growth can be expected in the next few years. One of the greatest challenges in the further development of this technology is the cost-efficient production of high-quality microneedles and devices for a wide variety of applications. The research company Profactor, an investment company of Upper Austrian Research and the Johannes Kepler University together with the project partners Dermatology Skin & Endothelial, Research Division, Tyndall National Institute and STRATEC Consumables GmbH are devoting themselves to precisely this topic in a joint project.

The cost-efficient production of high-quality microneedles by injection moulding is intended to enable this technology to be used in sensors for electrocardiography and for the transport of active substances in medical therapy. The project partner Tyndall, one of Europe’s leading research institutes in this field, and PROFACTOR, produce prototypes of the MicroNeedles in different manufacturing processes. On the basis of these prototypes, injection moulds are then produced for the cost-effective production of the needles. In an injection-compression moulding process at STRATEC, the needles can then be produced cost-effectively and in large quantities.

Project name:
Development of injection molding and surface modification processes for mass fabrication of microneedles

Funding: 
FFG –  Produktion der Zukunft

Duration:  
01.04.2016 – 31.03.2018