Microneedle Drug Delivery System for the Treatment of Fungal Infection: A Review

Abstract

Fungal infections represent a significant global health burden, affecting millions of individuals annually and contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality. Conventional antifungal therapies, including topical and systemic formulations, often suffer from limitations such as poor skin penetration, systemic toxicity, and drug resistance. The emergence of microneedle (MN)-based drug delivery systems has revolutionized transdermal and intradermal therapeutic approaches by enabling minimally invasive, targeted, and controlled drug delivery. Microneedles bypass the stratum corneum barrier, enhancing drug permeation into deeper skin layers where fungal pathogens often reside. Various types of microneedles—including solid, coated, dissolving, hollow, and hydrogel-forming—have been developed to optimize antifungal drug delivery. Recent advancements include electrically driven microneedles, 3D-printed systems, and bioactive microneedles incorporating antimicrobial agents or live bacteria. These innovations demonstrate improved therapeutic efficacy, reduced systemic side effects, and enhanced patient compliance. This review comprehensively discusses the pathophysiology of fungal infections, limitations of conventional treatments, principles of microneedle technology, classification, mechanisms of drug delivery, and recent advancements in antifungal therapy. Additionally, challenges related to manufacturing, scalability, regulatory approval, and clinical translation are highlighted. The review concludes with future perspectives on integrating smart technologies and personalized medicine approaches in microneedle-based antifungal therapy. Key-Words: Microneedle, Funga infection, Drug delivery