Lubricating Microneedles System with Multistage Sustained Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a typical joint degenerative disease that is prevalent worldwide and significantly affects the normal activities of patients. Traditional treatments using diclofenac (DCF) as an anti‐inflammatory drug by oral administration and transdermal delivery have many inherent deficiencies. In this study, a lubricating microneedles (MNs) system for the treatment of osteoarthritis with multistage sustained drug delivery and great reduction in skin damage during MNs penetration is developed. The bilayer dissolvable MNs system, namely HA‐DCF@PDMPC, is prepared by designating the composite material of hyaluronic acid (HA) and covalently conjugated drug compound (HA‐DCF) as the MNs tips and then modifying the surface of MNs tips with a self‐adhesive lubricating copolymer (PDMPC). The MNs system is designed to achieve sustained drug release of DCF via ester bond hydrolysis, physical diffusion from MNs tips, and breakthrough of lubrication coating. Additionally, skin damage is reduced due to the presence of the lubrication coating on the superficial surface. Therefore, the lubricating MNs with multistage sustained drug delivery show good compliance as a transdermal patch for OA treatment, which is validated from anti‐inflammatory cell tests and therapeutic animal experiments, down‐regulating the expression levels of pro‐inflammatory factors and alleviating articular cartilage destruction.