Proteins patch technology

The skin offers an even less naturally permeable boundary to macromolecules than the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, passive transdermal delivery of proteins and peptides using patch technology has not succeeded. Peptides and proteins can be shot through the skin into the body using high-pressure needle-less injection devices. The devices, which inject proteins like insulin, have been available for years, however they have failed to impress doctors or patients due to the associated discomfort and the potential for splash back to transmit blood-borne diseases such as AIDS or hepatitis. 

Enhancement of the skin permeation of peptides and proteins by electrical or ultrasonic means has recently been receiving a lot of attention from both academia and industry, as recently reviewed by Chien (1991) and Cullander and Guy (1992). Tlie concurrent development of technology relating to patch materials, microprocessors, and miniaturized batteries (Singh and Maibach, 1993) makes iontophoretic delivery of certain dmgs an attractive concept (Banga and Chien, 1988b). 

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