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Biodegradable sustained-release microneedle patch loaded with clindamycin hydrochloride: a breakthrough in acne management

Fan, Haomei, Liao, Ruohan, Yang, Yiling, Xing, Yan, Zhang, Chengdong, Luo, Xuwei, Pu, Chao, Wu, Liling, Li, Xingping, Zhao, Juhua, Xiao, Dongqin·2025·Frontiers in Pharmacology
DOI 10.3389/fphar.2025.1575635
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Abstract

Background: Clindamycin hydrochloride, a first-line antibiotic for acne treatment, faces challenges with poor skin penetration due to its hydrophilicity and the barrier posed by the stratum corneum. To address this limitation, we developed gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel-based biodegradable microneedles (GM-Clin-MN) for sustained intradermal drug delivery, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Methods: The microneedle patches loaded with 1 wt% clindamycin hydrochloride were fabricated using PDMS molds and characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and fluorescence microscopy. Drug loading and release were assessed using UV-Vis spectroscopy at 520 nm, while mechanical strength was evaluated with a universal testing machine. Skin penetration was tested on ex vivo rat abdominal skin. Biosafety was determined through human skin fibroblast (HSF) cytotoxicity and hen’s egg test-chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) irritation tests. Antibacterial efficacy against Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) was measured via colony counting. In vivo acne treatment of the microneedles was evaluated in a rat acne model. Gross morphological changes, histological sections, and immunohistochemical staining were used to evaluate the efficacy and potential mechanisms of acne treatment. Results: Clindamycin hydrochloride-loaded GelMA microneedles (GM-Clin-MN) achieved a drug loading of 0.49 ± 0.025 μg/needle, exhibiting rapid release on Day 1 (54.8% ± 2.1%) and sustained release by Day 10 (72.1% ± 1.5%). The microneedles penetrated the skin to a depth of 658 ± 66 μm, swelled by 185.4% ± 12.1%, and completely dissolved within 10 min. GM-Clin-MN displayed no cytotoxicity or skin irritation and effectively inhibited the growth of C. acnes (bacterial inhibition rate of 100%). In vivo studies revealed that acne-related inflammation was effectively suppressed with potential anti-scarring properties, characterized by reduced pro-inflammatory IL-1β levels, increased anti-inflammatory IL-10 expression, and diminished MMP-2 activity — a key enzyme in collagen overproduction during scarring. Conclusion: GM-Clin-MN enables sustained, minimally invasive clindamycin delivery through the stratum corneum, offering a dual-action therapeutic strategy that combines potent antibacterial activity with anti-inflammatory modulation for acne management.

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Metadata

Authors
Fan, H., Liao, R., Yang, Y., Xing, Y., Zhang, C., Luo, X., Pu, C., Wu, L., Li, X., Zhao, J., & Xiao, D.
Venue
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2025-05-30
Volume
16
ISSN
1663-9812
DOI
10.3389/fphar.2025.1575635
Cited by
13
References
0
Licence
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (vor)

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Biodegradable sustained-release microneedle patch loaded with clindamycin hydrochloride: a breakthrough in acne management. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.3389/fphar.2025.1575635
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Fan, H., Liao, R., Yang, Y., Xing, Y., Zhang, C., Luo, X., Pu, C., Wu, L., Li, X., Zhao, J., & Xiao, D. (2025). Biodegradable sustained-release microneedle patch loaded with clindamycin hydrochloride: a breakthrough in acne management. Frontiers in Pharmacology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1575635

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