Transdermal drug delivery platform company Shinshin Pharmaceutical announced on the 26th that it is preparing to file additional patents to advance next-generation microneedle drug development technology. Shinshin Pharmaceutical already possesses microneedle technology related to solubilization of poorly soluble drugs and control of drug delivery rates, and plans to establish entry barriers for microneedle drugs by securing long-acting technology for biopharmaceuticals.
Based on its microneedle technology, Shinshin Pharmaceutical is developing the world's first microneedle drug. For microneedle drug development, drug dissolution and control of drug delivery rates are considered core technologies. By applying long-acting technology that stably maintains drug delivery rates, the company has succeeded in extending dosing intervals compared to existing oral and injectable drugs.
Shinshin Pharmaceutical's microneedle technology development began in 2021 with the expanded application of TDDS (Transdermal Drug Delivery System) technology. The company secured technology that uses solvents optimized for poorly soluble drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to completely dissolve them and load them onto microneedles, and filed related patents in 2021.
Through continuous research and development, the company also developed microsphere technology that can deliver drugs consistently through microneedles. A patent application has also been submitted for technology that increases the solubility of anti-inflammatory analgesics and controls drug release rates based on microsphere technology.
The representative analgesic ingredient, NSAIDs, have the disadvantage of reduced localized effects when taken orally because they act systemically. NSAIDs are poorly soluble drugs with low solubility, limiting formulation changes, but when Shinshin Pharmaceutical's developed technology is applied, they can be loaded onto microneedles. When loaded onto microneedles, they can penetrate the skin's stratum corneum to enhance therapeutic effects.
A Shinshin Pharmaceutical official stated, "Patents related to microneedles loaded with NSAID drugs are technically challenging, and Shinshin Pharmaceutical is unique in possessing this technology," adding, "We establish annual pharmaceutical patent response strategies and build entry barriers based on our existing patents."
He continued, "Based on TDDS technology and microneedle technology, we plan to file patents for long-acting microneedles loaded with biopharmaceuticals," and added, "In the future, through the development of treatments for obesity and osteoporosis, we will continue to secure additional patents for formulations utilizing microneedle technology."
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