Growth Factors, Technology Drivers Examined by Greystone Associates

(Amherst, NH) – As evolving discoveries and technology advances create new opportunities for disease treatment and diagnostics, developers are exploring new patient-friendly ways of delivering powerful drugs and sampling analytes in blood and interstitial fluid.  This focus is placing renewed emphasis on minimally invasive medicine and fostering enabling technologies that will have a significant effect on patient compliance and treatment outcomes.

A significant number of healthcare administrators believe that elimination of needlesticks in the delivery of parenteral drugs will lead to better outcomes due to improved consistency and adherence to administration schedules. Microneedles offer several advantages when compared to conventional needle technologies. These benefits will push the total worldwide value of medical microneedle devices to $372 million in 2010, with more than three-quarters of this total coming from drug delivery systems and the remainder coming from monitoring and diagnostics.

Microneedle technology is well-positioned to address the growing trend toward self-administration by allowing the precise injection of therapeutic agents to prescribed locations below the skin. Microneedles will also be a factor in continuous and remote patient monitors and point-of-care diagnostics. But before microneedles find widespread use, developers must refine the techniques for optimally inserting them into the skin, and complete the integration of microneedles into full diagnostic, monitoring or drug delivery systems.

Microneedles in Medicine: Technology, Markets and Prospects, a recently released report, analyzes existing and emerging microneedle delivery and diagnostic products, market participants, and key demand and technology factors influencing the commercial market and shaping growth in this sector. It is available from

 Source: Greystone Associates