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.