Abstract: The present invention provides a solution to increase the drug loading capacity and drug delivery precision of dissolving microneedles. These solutions include: (a) increasing the base of the microneedle cavities without substantially changing the microneedle's height and geometry, (b) use of drug suspension and sedimentation of drug by centrifugation, and (c) a specific centrifugation order for filling drug and matrix material. In the first preferred embodiment, a microneedle master mould comprising a plurality of pyramidal microneedles (5100), wherein each of the pyramidal microneedles further comprising a chamfered base (5200) which extends to and adjoins with its neighbouring chamfered bases is provided.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a patch of dissolving microneedles loaded with active ingredients to be applied to skin for treating skin conditions is provided. As seen in FIG. 1, the dissolving microneedle patch (10) comprises a substrate (12) and a plurality of microneedles (14) which extends from the substrate. The dissolving microneedle patch (10) is made of a matrix material and at least one active ingredient such as a corticosteroid, namely triamcinolone (TAC). The matrix material is made of bio-compatible materials such as hyaluronic acid (HA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), or mixture of them, which dissolve rapidly when they are in contact with the inner skin. The active ingredient is loaded onto individual patches with the desirable dosage ranging from 0.01 mg-1.0 mg.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment, a method of making microneedles comprises i) providing a microneedle template (300) having a plurality of microneedles cavities (360) on one surface, ii) preparing a casting solution (320) comprising at least one matrix material and its solvent, iii) subjecting said microneedle template (300) to a vacuum pressure for a length of time to deprive it of air, iv) dispensing the casting solution (320) over the air-deprived microneedle template, v) allowing the casting solution (320) to be drawn into the air-deprived microneedle cavities (360) completely, and vi) allowing the dissolving microneedles to solidify or dry in a controlled environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solution to increase the drug loading capacity and drug delivery precision of dissolving microneedles. These solutions include: (a) increasing the base of the microneedle cavities without substantially changing the microneedle's height and geometry, (b) use of drug suspension and (c) a specific centrifugation order for filling drug and matrix material. In the first preferred embodiment, a microneedle master mould comprising a plurality of microneedles, wherein each of the microneedles further comprising a chamfered base which extends to and adjoins with its neighboring chamfered bases is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solution to increase the drug loading capacity and drug delivery precision of dissolving microneedles. These solutions include: (a) increasing the base of the microneedle cavities without substantially changing the microneedle's height and geometry, (b) use of drug suspension and sedimentation of drug by centrifugation, and (c) a specific centrifugation order for filling drug and matrix material. In the first preferred embodiment, a microneedle master mould comprising a plurality of pyramidal microneedles (5100), wherein each of the pyramidal microneedles further comprising a chamfered base (5200) which extends to and adjoins with its neighbouring chamfered bases is provided.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a patch of dissolving microneedles loaded with active ingredients to be applied to skin for treating skin conditions is provided. As seen in FIG. 1, the dissolving microneedle patch (10) comprises a substrate (12) and a plurality of microneedles (14) which extends from the substrate. The dissolving microneedle patch (10) is made of a matrix material and at least one active ingredient such as a corticosteroid, namely triamcinolone (TAC). The matrix material is made of bio-compatible materials such as hyaluronic acid (HA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), or mixture of them, which dissolve rapidly when they are in contact with the inner skin. The active ingredient is loaded onto individual patches with the desirable dosage ranging from 0.01 mg-1.0 mg.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment, a method of making microneedles comprises i) providing a microneedle template (300) having a plurality of microneedles cavities (360) on one surface, ii) preparing a casting solution (320) comprising at least one matrix material and its solvent, iii) subjecting said microneedle template (300) to a vacuum pressure for a length of time to deprive it of air, iv) dispensing the casting solution (320) over the air-deprived microneedle template, v) allowing the casting solution (320) to be drawn into the air-deprived microneedle cavities (360) completely, and vi) allowing the dissolving microneedles to solidify or dry in a controlled environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surgically invasive pointed article for skin penetration and capillary whole blood extraction whose penetration ability can be disabled after use by deforming the tips. The present invention is made by injection molding a plastic needle 35 having an anchoring means 45 using a first material, followed by another injection molding process to over-mold a first body segment 20 and second body segment 30 using a second material to encase the plastic needle 35 thereby anchoring the plastic needle 35 to prevent further movement of the plastic needle 35. The encasing of the second material provide a barrier isolating the plastic needle 35 from the ambient to protect the tips 50 from damage and once sterilized, to conserve the sterile conditions till point of use. The barrier formed by a second over-molding process comprises a detachable cap 20 and a body 30.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a blood lancet used in capillary blood sampling, in which the blood lancet is unitarily moulded with an elastic member for providing actuation force. In a preferred embodiment, the blood lancet (100) comprises a needle component (120) having a forward end (122) and a rearward end (124), an elastic member (140) disposed in the rearward end (124), and a detachable safety cap (160) disposed at the forward end (122), both of which are unitarily moulded to the needle component (120).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drug implant device which delivers a drug load to the body painlessly. The present invention achieves the painless drug implantation by adopting two principles: (1) rapid perpendicular insertion of fine cannula is painless and that (2) pain is incurred only when the occupied volume caused by the implant process is increased. Therefore, instead of inserting a cannula and injection a volume of drug, which increases the occupied volume of the injection process due to additional volume of the drug, the present invention retracts the cannula in order to dispose the drug into the body. The retraction of cannula does not increase the occupied volume therefore incurs no pain.

Abstract: A portable electrophoretic contactless conductivity detection (C4D) system for analysis on a microfluidic chip houses in one embodiment a fluidic compartment for receiving the microfluidic chip, and four detection electrodes: first and second emitting electrodes, and first and second receiving electrodes. The first emitting electrode and the first receiving electrode are adjacent to a first channel wall of the microfluidic chip, and the second emitting electrode and the second receiving electrode are adjacent to a second channel wall, where the second channel wall is opposite to the first channel wall. In an embodiment, the electrodes are provided as portions of a removable cartridge cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fabrication of metallic microneedles 200 which involves two process steps: firstly providing a rough cut on a metallic block to form approximate microneedle shapes, and secondly providing a finishing cut on the rough-cut metallic block to achieve final microneedles with required surface smoothness and tip sharpness. Providing the rough cut can be achieved by using conventional manufacturing methods such as Electro-Discharge Machining (EDM) or Computerised Numerical Controlled (CNC) machining by first forming a rough cut a metallic block 500 of the microneedle array 600. The finishing cut is achieved by polishing the individual microneedles 720 on the rough-cut metallic block 500 to desired sharpness and surface finish. The microneedles 720 formed are partial or full pyramidal structures which normally have heights of 100 microns to 1,000 microns with sharp tips that can penetrate the skin painlessly and effectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surgically invasive pointed article for skin penetration and capillary whole blood extraction whose penetration ability can be disabled after use by deforming the tips. The present invention is made by injection moulding a plastic needle 35 having an anchoring means 45 using a first material, followed by another injection moulding process to over-mould a first body segment 20 and second body segment 30 using a second material to encase the plastic needle 35 thereby anchoring the plastic needle 35 to prevent further movement of the plastic needle 35. The encasing of the second material provide a barrier isolating the plastic needle 35 from the ambient to protect the tips 50 from damage and once sterilized, to conserve the sterile conditions till point of use. The barrier formed by a second over-moulding process comprises a detachable cap 20 and a body 30.

Abstract: The contactless conductivity detector in one embodiment includes a microfluidic chip having a channel (102) thereon and four detection electrodes: first and second emitting electrodes (100a, 101a), and first and second receiving electrodes (100b, 101b). The channel (102) is defined by channel walls. The first emitting electrode (100a) and the first receiving electrode (100b) are adjacent a first channel wall, and the second emitting electrode (101a) and the second receiving electrode (101b) are adjacent a second channel wall, the second channel wall being opposite the first channel wall.

Abstract: The present invention relates to plastic microneedle strips (10) that are used in transdermal drug delivery for increasing the drug delivery rate through the skin These microneedle strips (10) are mass produced singly or in a cluster (100) via precision injection moulding process, and may be assembled to form microneedle arrays subsequently. The individual microneedle strips can further broken into individual microneedles for other medical applications. The making of the mould (200) for precision injection moulding process is also provided.

Abstract: A surgically invasive pointed article for skin penetration and its fabrication method are presented. The present invention comprises a protruding sharp end portion and a body portion, the protruding sharp end portion comprising at least one penetration tip that can be disabled after use. The tip disablement after use is an effective safety measure in eradicating accidental injuries and re-use. The tip disablement can be carried out manually by the user or automatically if the article is used with a custom-made tip-disabling applicator. The skin penetration device can be used as a lancet for blood sampling, a needle for immunization and skin allergy testing, or a skin breaching device for transdermal drug delivery. The second aspect of the invention is a method for preparing the surgically invasive pointed article for skin penetration.

Abstract: A computer hardware-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product determines an applicability of a data privacy regulation when transmitting data used with an enterprise project. A data privacy regulation describes regulatory restrictions on data being transmitted from a first geopolitical entity to a second geopolitical entity. A set of categorized data is used by an enterprise project, and the data privacy regulation establishes limitations on a transmission of at least one category of data, from the set of categorized data, from the first geopolitical entity to the second geopolitical entity. A first set of binary data and a second set of binary data are processed to determine if transmission of said at least one category of data from the first geopolitical entity to the second geopolitical entity is regulated by the data privacy regulation.

Abstract: A microneedle mold and a method of manufacturing a microneedle mold are provided for use in fabricating microneedles. The method includes providing a microneedle mold base with recesses therein, the recesses corresponding to the microneedles to be fabricated and extending from a first surface of the microneedle mold base; and forming side-port forming holes in the microneedle mold base, the side-port forming holes extend in side surfaces of the recesses within the microneedle mold base at side-port forming positions of the recesses.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting skin penetration. The system comprises an invasive component for penetrating the skin; a dummy electrode for making contact with the surface of the skin; at least one penetrating electrode disposed in the invasive component; and a Wheatstone bridge circuit; wherein a resistance across the dummy electrode and the penetrating electrode constitutes one of the resistive legs of the Wheatstone bridge circuit and skin penetration of the invasive component is detected based on a differential output voltage from the Wheatstone bridge circuit.

Abstract: A computer hardware-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product determines an applicability of a data privacy regulation when transmitting data used with an enterprise project. A data privacy regulation describes regulatory restrictions on data being transmitted from a first geopolitical entity to a second geopolitical entity. A set of categorized data is used by an enterprise project, and the data privacy regulation establishes limitations on a transmission of at least one category of data, from the set of categorized data, from the first geopolitical entity to the second geopolitical entity. A first set of binary data and a second set of binary data are processed to determine if transmission of said at least one category of data from the first geopolitical entity to the second geopolitical entity is regulated by the data privacy regulation.