Panoramic review on polymeric microneedle arrays for clinical applications

Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) has significantly advanced medical practice in recent years due to its ability to prevent the degradation of substances in the gastrointestinal tract and avoid hepatic metabolism. Among different available approaches, microneedle arrays (MNAs) technology represents a fascinating delivery tool for enhancing TDD by penetrating the stratum corneum painless and minimally invasive for delivering antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral medications. Polymeric MNAs are extensively utilized among many available materials due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive discussion of polymeric MNAs, starting with understanding stratum corneum and developing MNA technology. Furthermore, the engineering concepts, fundamental considerations, challenges, and future perspectives of polymeric MNAs in clinical applications are properly outlined, offering a comprehensive and unique overview of polymeric MNAs and their potential for a broad spectrum of clinical applications. Graphical Abstract