Manuka Honey Microneedle: Methods and Uses

A new drug delivery device utilizes honey as either the "drug," carrier, or adjuvant for drug delivery. Manuka Honey Microneedles (MHMs) can stimulate wound healing and prevent or treat infections by delivering drugs beneath an intact dermal layer or into deeper layers of infected tissue. Additionally, MHMs can serve as a microneedle base material for administering other drugs, such as vaccines.

Researchers

Galit Frydman / David Olaleye / Illina Yang / Damodaran Annamalai

Departments: Division of Comparative Medicine
Technology Areas: Biotechnology: Biomedical Devices & Systems / Drug Delivery: Microparticles & Nanoparticles
Impact Areas: Healthy Living

  • manuka honey microneedle
    United States of America | Granted | 11,904,125
  • manuka honey microneedle: methods and uses
    Patent Cooperation Treaty | Published application

Technology

The synthesis method described in this patent involves using a material with medicinal properties that is already FDA-approved for wound care, and which can serve as a drug delivery substrate. This method enables the creation of up to 100% pure honey microneedles, maintaining their natural chemical and enzymatic properties without the need for high heat, unlike other sugar-based microneedles. The gentle synthesis process allows for the inclusion of drugs or proteins without damaging or degrading them, which is particularly valuable for delivering delicate therapeutics, such as RNA- or DNA-based treatments. Using honey as the microneedle base, known for its antibacterial and wound-healing properties, allows the microneedles to be used for wound management or as a drug delivery tool, promoting healing and reducing the chance of infection at the delivery site. Additionally, honey may act as a natural adjuvant, providing immunostimulant properties and enhancing drug uptake through the physical stimulation of microneedling. In dermatology, this technique can promote collagen formation, prevent infection, and encourage short-acting local inflammation, enhancing blood flow and tissue regeneration, which is beneficial for scar reduction and minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.

Problem Addressed

The synthesis of sugar-based microneedles typically requires high-temperature conditions, which may restrict the ability to drug load specific targets within the microneedle itself. Microneedles penetrate the skin and result in a defect in the epithelial barrier, increasing the potential risk of acquiring an infection at the site of microneedle penetration. Manuka Honey, an FDA-approved product for the treatment of complex wounds, possesses natural antibiotic and antifungal properties. However, the current methods of applying the honey to wounds, through a gel or cream or on a bandage, only reach the superficial portion of the wound and may not effectively treat deeper infections, such as cellulitis.

Advantages

  • Methods for the synthesis of MHMs which retains the enzymatic and chemical characteristics of the honey
  • The method of MHM synthesis is gentle enough to enable the loading of other drugs into the microneedle base itself, without an additional coating step
  • The MHMs combine two FDA-approved techniques: microneedling and Medical Grade Manuka Honey
  • MHMs can be a combined device and therapeutic and may be a way to administer sensitive drug loads, vaccines, or treat complicated infections – such as those with antibiotic resistant bacteria or fungal infections.

Publications

Galit H. Frydman, et al. Manuka honey microneedles for enhanced wound healing and the prevention and/or treatment of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. Nature. 2020 August 6. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-70186-9

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