Biodegradable β‐Cyclodextrin Conjugated Gelatin Methacryloyl Microneedle for Delivery of Water‐Insoluble Drug

Abstract Transdermal delivery of water‐insoluble drugs via hydrogel‐based microneedle (MN) arrays is crucial for improving their therapeutic efficacies. However, direct loading of water‐insoluble drug into hydrophilic matrices remains challenging. Here, a biodegradable MN array patch that is fabricated from naturally derived polymer conjugates of gelatin methacryloyl and β ‐cyclodextrin (GelMA‐ β ‐CD) is reported. When curcumin, an unstable and water‐insoluble anticancer drug, is loaded as a model drug, its stability and solubility are improved due to the formation of an inclusion complex. The polymer‐drug complex GelMA‐ β ‐CD/CUR can be formulated into MN arrays with sufficient mechanical strength for skin penetration and tunable drug release profile. Anticancer efficacy of released curcumin is observed in three‐dimensional B16F10 melanoma models. The GelMA‐ β ‐CD/CUR MN exhibits relatively higher therapeutic efficacy through more localized and deeper penetrated manner compared with a control nontransdermal patch. In vivo studies also verify biocompatibility and degradability of the GelMA‐ β ‐CD MN arrays patch.