Inkjet printing for pharmaceutical applications

Miconazole is an imidazole used for treatment of fungal infections that exhibits poor solubility in polar solvents (e.g., aqueous solutions). Microneedles, small-scale lancet-shaped devices that are commonly used for delivery of pharmacologic agents and vaccines, were made out of an acid anhydride copolymer using visible light dynamic mask micro-stereolithography/micromolding and loaded with miconazole using a piezoelectric inkjet printer. The miconazole-coated microneedles showed biodegradation and antifungal activity against the organism Candida albicans (ATCC 90028) on Sabouraud dextrose agar using an in vitro agar plating method. The results of this study demonstrate that piezoelectric inkjet printing may be used load microneedles and other drug delivery devices with pharmacologic agents. Miconazole-loaded microneedles prepared by the visible light dynamic mask micro-stereolithography–micromolding–piezoelectric inkjet printing approach have potential use in transdermal treatment of cutaneous fungal infections.