Microneedle of biodegradable polyacid anhydride with a capillary open groove for reagent transfer

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Incorporating a tool for administering medication, such as a syringe, is required in microneedles (MNs) for medical use. This renders it easier for non-medical personnel to administer medication. Because it is difficult to fabricate a hollow MN, we fabricated a capillary groove on an MN and its substrate to enable the administration of a higher dosage. MN grooving is difficult to accomplish via the conventional injection molding method used for polylactic acid. Therefore, biodegradable polyacid anhydride was selected as the material for the MN. Because polyacid anhydride is a low-viscosity liquid at room temperature, an MN can be grooved using a processing method similar to vacuum casting. This study investigated the performance of the capillary force of the MN and the optimum shape and size of the MN by a puncture test.