Intradermal needle-free powdered drug injection

Abstract

This thesis presents a new method for needle-free powdered drug injection. The design, construction, and testing of a bench-top helium-powered device capable of delivering powder to controllable depths within the dermis is presented. This device uses a jet of gas undergoing choked flow to entrain powder and subsequently penetrates through the skin for delivery of the powder. Different nozzle designs and orifice geometries are also explored. In vitro injection of polymer beads (1-5 [mu]im in diameter) into porcine tissue demonstrate the device's capability of drug delivery to depths of 260 to 5000 [mu]m. The jet parameters of nozzle orifice diameter and applied pressure are shown to affect injection depth, shape, and success rate. The presented device has the potential to be implemented with stabilized formulations of vaccines to address the cold chain problem-the cost and risk of transporting temperature sensitive vaccines to developing countries.