Microfabrication and Characterization of Chemically Actuated Implantable PLGA Reservoir-based Device for Controlled Drug Delivery

Abstract

This paper proposes the fabrication and characterization of the drug delivery device (DDD) that is capable of delivering the drug to the target site using bio-degradable polymer. The insulin used as a model drug in this study was loaded into the microreservoir (5 mm * 5 mm * 0.5 mm) which was fabricated using Poly-Lactic-Co-Glycolic acid (PLGA) polymer. The permeation of the drug solution and the release rates were controlled by varying the thickness of the biodegradable membrane. The fabricated DDD was designed to deliver about 20 µL of the drug. Implantable formulations of insulin were generated using biodegradable polymer PLGA, which were further tested by loading different quantities of the drug. The activity of the implant was tested using in-vitro release by taking Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), as well as in-vivo pharmacokinetic studies in Wistar rats. Insulin-loaded implants were inserted under the skin layer by minor surgery. The blood samples were collected at different time intervals, which were further analyzed by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The obtained results confirmed the presence of insulin in the blood by showing a retention time (RT) of 2.8 min at λ_max of 280 nm. The results have shown that the insulin was found in the blood after 4 h of implant insertion and remained up to 48 h. This study clearly suggests that the fabricated device can be used for the successful delivery of insulin in the blood. The use of this DDD bypasses the degradation of insulin in the stomach and thus can be used as an effective drug carrier system for the delivery of insulin.

KEYWORDS:

• Drug delivery device (DDD)
• Micro-electro-mechanical systems
• in-vitro and in-vivo
• PDMS
• Insulin
• PLGA
• High-performance liquid chromatography

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joyline Dsa

Joyline Dsa, associate professor, Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, Mangalore, Karnataka. She has completed PhD from IIIT-Allahabad. She is also a founder & director of a startup Utkarsh Sahyadri Tech LLP, which has been recognized as a top 100 startup by the Department of IT/BT Govt. of Karnataka. She is Life Member of IETE. She is currently working on MEMS, bio-sensors, embedded systems, and IoT for health care. Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

Anush Bekal

Anush Bekal serves as associate professor in the Department of Electronics & Communication (ECE) at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management (SCEM), Mangalore. He is Life Member of IETE. He completed PhD in microelectronics (ECE) from Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, MS in VLSI/CAD from Manipal University (Institute of Eminence), and BE (ECE) from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). He has 9+years in the field of teaching and research. His research interest includes analog and mixed-signal VLSI technology & circuits, low power ADCs, digital design, analog circuit design, verilog/VHDL. Some of the EDA tools include virtuoso, tanner, VCS, design compiler, Xilinx ISE, LTSpice, etc. Email: [email protected]

Manish Goswami

Manish Goswami holds the position of a professor at Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-A). He joined IIITA in the year 2008 in the Electronics and Communication Engg Dept. As an academician, he puts in 18+fruitful years in the field of teaching and research. He is a senior member of IEEE and VLSI Society of India. He currently serves as associate dean (Admission, Assessment and Award – AAA) at the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad. Besides research and academics, his present work also involves setting up and establishing a collaboration for the chip fabrication work at IIIT-A. He and his team has designed, fabricated and successfully tested variable resolution ADC chip. His research interest includes analog and mixed signal VLSI design circuits, low power VLSI circuit design, data converters, digital design, etc. Email: [email protected]