Nobody enjoys the inconvenience of frequent injections or the hassle of taking multiple oral medications daily. A groundbreaking solution may be on the horizon in the form of a wearable patch designed to painlessly administer various drugs through the skin, activated by a smartphone. Developed at the University of North Carolina by a team led by professors Wubin Bai and Juan Song, this experimental device, named the Spatiotemporal On-Demand Patch (SOP), presents a novel take on microneedle patches.

Microneedle patches typically consist of small polymer sheets embedded with tiny, sharp, medication-loaded studs that dissolve harmlessly into the skin upon contact. In contrast, the SOP boasts a unique design. Its top surface features an electrical circuit, and each needle can be individually loaded with different medications. Moreover, all the needles are coated with a thin layer of gold. Initially, this gold coating prevents the needles from dissolving upon application to the skin.

The SOP stands out as it can be activated wirelessly by a signal from a nearby smartphone or computer. Upon activation, the patch heats one or more microneedles, causing the gold coating to disintegrate. The exposed needle then comes into direct contact with the skin, dissolving and releasing its payload over a 30-second period. Similar to other microneedle patches, the medication first enters the interstitial fluid between skin cells and then makes its way into the bloodstream.

In laboratory tests, the SOP demonstrated successful administration of multiple doses of melatonin to mice. The potential applications of this technology extend to treating chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, where the patch could administer different drugs at predetermined intervals throughout the day.

Professor Song expressed optimism about the SOP, stating, “The beauty of this device is that it can house dozens, if not hundreds, of concentrated drugs and can program their sequential release automatically.” The SOP represents a promising advancement in drug delivery technology, offering a convenient and efficient alternative to traditional methods.

By Impact Lab