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ArrayPatch's DerMap microneedle patch offers a pain-free alternative to traditional injections, making it an attractive option for those who struggle with needle phobia. The company plans to initially focus on delivering GLP-1 medicines for obesity and type 2 diabetes before expanding into other areas.
If you're someone who feels an irrational panic at the thought of having an injection, there's a sporting chance you suffer from trypanophobia, also known as fear of needles.
Microneedle Technology Offers Needle-Free Medicine Delivery
The good news for phobics, or indeed anyone who finds injections difficult, is that advances in needle technology have led to the development of the microneedle, which can be used instead of a sharp metal needle to deliver medicine without the discomfort associated with it. Making its mark in this emerging niche is ArrayPatch, a Cork-based biotechnology company founded by Dr Waleed Faisal.
Its next-generation take on the microneedle is called DerMap, a pain-free dissolvable microneedle patch about the size of a €1 coin. The patch, which incorporates the prescribed dose of the relevant treatment, is applied directly to the skin. Once it penetrates the outer layer, it begins to dissolve and releases the medicine into the body with little or no discomfort.
ArrayPatch's USP is that it has developed a polymer-free microneedle where the medicine itself is converted into a glassy substance that forms the needle's structure. Existing microneedles are made from materials such as silicon and polymers, and the therapeutic is loaded on to them. ArrayPatch's approach, however, takes a different approach. It takes a polymer-free approach wherein the medicine itself is converted into a glassy substance that forms the wall and not held by polymers and other materials.
DerMap Patch Builds on Cork Research
This allows ArrayPatch to achieve a much higher drug loading while keeping the patch small and minimally invasive. The patented technology behind DerMap is a long time in the making. It began in 2018 as a research project at University College Cork that explored new ways of delivering medicine through the skin. By 2024, the concept was sufficiently proven for ArrayPatch to spin out of the university with the intention of commercialising its technology for use in treating health problems.
ArrayPatch's potential customers are existing pharma companies developing medicines for large patient populations, and the company plans to sell its technology through a combination of licensing, codevelopment and partnerships with global players. DerMap is a platform technology, which means it can be tweaked for applications in multiple areas, including cancer, migraine, dermatology and paediatric care.
ArrayPatch Targets Obesity and Diabetes Treatments
While the tech remains in development and has yet to undergo human trials, the company plans to initially focus on using its patch to deliver GLP-1 medicines for obesity and type 2 diabetes, thereby giving patients a simpler and more convenient alternative to injections. The next application will be for skin cancer, and the patch is also being developed to treat fungal nail infections with a particular focus on those with diabetes who are at higher risk of complications.
Over time, ArrayPatch aims to expand into other therapeutic areas and molecules, particularly peptides, small molecules and biologics, through strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical companies. The company is currently in the process of agreeing a material transfer agreement with one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies to begin work on a co-development of a GLP-1 patch. For now, it is unclear whether microneedles will eventually take over from conventional sharps.
While microneedles offer a pain-free alternative to traditional injections, they are still limited in terms of the amount of medicine they can deliver. For now, the focus will remain on specific use cases, such as vaccines, where microneedles offer a viable alternative to traditional injections. The company has already secured significant investment, with €2 million invested to date and a further €3 million raised in a seed round closed in September.
Funding Plans Support Commercial Launch
The next funding milestone will be to raise Series A funding of €10 million in 2027, with the company planning to use the funds to advance its technology and prepare for commercial launch. ArrayPatch currently employs seven people across Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands, and the company has identified a manufacturer capable of producing the product for its immediate requirements.
However, the company's next big step will be to initiate human trials in 2027, with the product's commercial launch slated for 2029.
Arraypatch Dermap Microneedle Patch Pain-Free Injections GLP-1 Medicines Obesity Type 2 Diabetes
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