阅读说明：本技术 药剂施予装置 (Medicament administration device ) 是由 加藤洋行 住田知也 儿玉贤洋 内藤诚之郎 于 2015-11-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种药剂施予装置,具备：基体,具有第1面；突起部,从上述第1面突出,具有周面；以及作为固态物的药剂,与上述第1面交叉的1个方向是第1方向,沿着上述第1面的1个方向是第2方向,在上述突起部形成有收纳部,上述收纳部沿着上述第1方向划分出朝向上述基体凹陷的空间,并以沿着上述第2方向将上述突起部贯通而在上述周面的一部分开口的方式沿着上述第2方向延伸,沿着上述第2方向观察到的上述收纳部的宽度随着接近上述基体而变小,上述药剂被收纳在上述收纳部。(A medicine administering device is provided with: a base having a 1 st face; a protrusion portion protruding from the 1 st surface and having a peripheral surface; and a drug as a solid, wherein 1 direction intersecting the 1 st surface is a 1 st direction, 1 direction along the 1 st surface is a 2 nd direction, the protrusion has a receiving portion formed thereon, the receiving portion defines a space recessed toward the base along the 1 st direction, extends along the 2 nd direction so as to penetrate the protrusion along the 2 nd direction and open to a portion of the peripheral surface, and has a width as viewed along the 2 nd direction that decreases as approaching the base, and the drug is received in the receiving portion.)

1. A medicament administration device, characterized in that,

the disclosed device is provided with:

a base having a 1 st face;

a protrusion portion protruding from the 1 st surface and having a peripheral surface; and

as a medicament for a solid substance,

the 1 st direction intersecting the 1 st plane described above is the 1 st direction,

the 1 st direction along the 1 st plane is the 2 nd direction,

the protrusion is formed with a receiving portion,

the housing portion defines a space recessed toward the base along the 1 st direction, extends along the 2 nd direction so as to penetrate the protrusion portion along the 2 nd direction and open to a part of the peripheral surface, and has a width as viewed along the 2 nd direction that decreases as the housing portion approaches the base,

the medicine is stored in the storage portion.

2. The medicament administration device according to claim 1,

the protrusion has a conical shape and a tip end portion having a pointed shape,

the housing portion is disposed at a position offset from the center of the protrusion portion when viewed from a direction facing the 1 st surface.

3. The medicament administration device according to claim 1,

the peripheral surface of the protrusion extends in a conical shape from the 1 st surface,

the receiving portion is disposed at the center of the protrusion portion when viewed from a direction facing the 1 st surface.

4. The medicament administration device according to claim 1,

the above-mentioned drug is a freeze-dried drug.

5. The medicament administration device according to claim 1,

the receiving part is a groove with a bottom part,

the bottom of the groove is located apart from the base in the 1 st direction.

6. The medicament administration device according to claim 1,

the medicine applicator has a plurality of the projections,

the 2 nd direction of each of the plurality of protrusions is the same direction.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a drug delivery device such as a microneedle for delivering a drug and a method for manufacturing the drug delivery device.

Background

As a drug administration device for administering a drug from the skin into the body, a microneedle is known. The microneedle has a plurality of projections having a needle shape on a surface of a base. In a method of administering a drug using a microneedle, a base is pressed against the skin, a protrusion perforates the skin, and the drug is delivered into the body through a hole formed in the protrusion (see, for example, patent document 1).

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The microneedle provided with a drug is formed by, for example, applying a liquid drug to the surface near the tip of the protrusion and drying the drug. However, in the case of this configuration, if a certain amount or more of the drug is applied to the projection, the drug is solidified in a state of being relatively circularly concentrated at the tip of the projection, and the piercing performance of the projection is lowered, and the amount of the drug that can be applied is largely restricted. As a result, the amount of medicament that can be administered using microneedles is also greatly limited.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a drug administration device and a method of manufacturing the drug administration device that can increase the amount of a retainable drug.

Means for solving the problems

The medicine administering device for solving the above problems includes: a base having a 1 st face; a protrusion portion protruding from the 1 st surface and having a peripheral surface; and a solid drug, wherein 1 direction intersecting the 1 st plane is the 1 st direction; the 1 st direction along the 1 st surface is the 2 nd direction; a receiving portion is formed in the protrusion portion; the housing portion defines a space recessed toward the base body along the 1 st direction, extends along the 2 nd direction, and opens to a portion of the peripheral surface of the protrusion portion, and the medicine is housed in the housing portion.

According to the above configuration, since the medicine is accommodated in the accommodating portion recessed toward the inside of the protruding portion, the amount of the medicine that can be held by the medicine administering device can be increased as compared with a configuration in which the medicine is attached to the surface of the protruding portion.

In the above configuration, it is preferable that the drug is a lyophilized drug.

According to the above configuration, since the medicine administering device includes the freeze-dried medicine, the medicine administering device can be stored for a long period of time.

In the above configuration, it is preferable that the receiving portion penetrates the protrusion portion in the 2 nd direction.

According to the above configuration, since the medicine easily enters the housing portion, filling of the medicine becomes easy.

In the above configuration, preferably, the housing portion is a groove having a bottom; the bottom of the groove is located apart from the base in the 1 st direction.

According to the above configuration, the mechanical strength of the protrusion can be improved at the base of the protrusion where stress is likely to concentrate, as compared with a configuration in which the bottom of the groove reaches the base. Further, since the medicines are collectively arranged at a portion of the protruding portion which is deeper into the skin, the medicines accommodated in the grooves are easily fed into the body of the administration subject.

In the above configuration, it is preferable that the protrusion has a pointed tip end portion having an apex; the apex is located at an edge of the protrusion when viewed in a direction facing the 1 st surface.

According to the above configuration, the protrusion has a pointed distal end portion, so that the ease of penetration of the protrusion into the skin can be improved, and the distal end of the protrusion is disposed at the edge portion of the protrusion, so that the degree of freedom in the size, shape, and position of the housing portion disposed in the region avoiding the distal end is improved.

In the above configuration, it is preferable that the medicine administering device includes a plurality of the projections, and the 2 nd directions of the plurality of the projections are the same direction.

According to the above configuration, since the direction in which the housing portion is formed is the same for each of the plurality of protruding portions, the housing portion can be formed at a time for the plurality of protruding portions or the housing portion can be formed for each of the plurality of protruding portions continuously by using various processing techniques such as machining or laser processing. Thus, the production efficiency of the medicament administration device can be improved.

A method for manufacturing a drug administration device that solves the above problems includes: a first step of manufacturing a main body portion having a base body having a 1 st surface and a protrusion portion protruding from the 1 st surface, the protrusion portion having a peripheral surface and a receiving portion formed thereon; a 2 nd step of filling the housing with a liquid chemical; and a 3 rd step of drying the chemical filled in the housing section; 1 direction crossing the 1 st surface is the 1 st direction; the 1 st direction along the 1 st surface is the 2 nd direction; the housing portion defines a space recessed toward the base body along the 1 st direction, and extends along the 2 nd direction to open at a part of the peripheral surface of the protrusion portion.

According to the above method, the above medicine administering device can be manufactured. According to such a medicine administering device, the amount of medicine that can be held can be increased as described above.

In the method, it is preferable that the chemical is freeze-dried in the 3 rd step.

According to the above method, since the drug is freeze-dried, long-term storage of the drug administration device can be achieved.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, an increase in the amount of medicament that can be held by the medicament administration device can be achieved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle which is an example of a drug administration device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure of a microneedle according to an embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle, that is, a microneedle having a plurality of projections according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a process for manufacturing a microneedle according to an embodiment, and shows a manufactured body.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a process for manufacturing a microneedle according to an embodiment, and shows an example of a process for filling a drug.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a process for manufacturing a microneedle according to an embodiment, and shows an example of a process for filling a drug.

Fig. 7 is a view showing a process for producing a microneedle according to an embodiment, and shows the microneedle after the freeze-drying process.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 14 is a side view showing a side structure of a microneedle according to a modified example.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing a three-dimensional structure of a microneedle according to a modification.

Fig. 19(a) is a diagram showing a photographed image of a main body portion of a microneedle according to an example, and fig. 19(b) is a schematic diagram schematically showing the main body portion of the photographed image of fig. 19 (a).

Fig. 20(a) is a diagram showing a photographed image of the protrusion before filling of the drug in the microneedle of the example, and fig. 20(b) is a diagram showing a photographed image of the protrusion after filling of the drug in the microneedle of the example.

Fig. 21(a) to 21(c) are views showing observation images of the diffusion process of the drug using the microneedles of the examples.

Fig. 22(a) is a diagram showing a photographed image of a main body portion of a microneedle of a comparative example, and fig. 22(b) is a schematic diagram schematically showing the main body portion of the photographed image of fig. 22 (a).

Fig. 23(a) is a diagram showing a photographed image of the protrusion before filling of the drug in the microneedles of the comparative example, and fig. 23(b) is a diagram showing a photographed image of the protrusion after filling of the drug in the microneedles of the comparative example.

Detailed Description

With reference to fig. 1 to 7, an embodiment in which a drug administration device is embodied as a microneedle will be described as an embodiment of a drug administration device and a method for manufacturing a drug administration device.

[ Structure of microneedle ]

The structure of the microneedle will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 3.

As shown in fig. 1, a microneedle 10 includes a plate-like base 11, a projection 12 projecting from the base 11, and a lyophilized drug 14 accommodated in a groove 13 as an example of an accommodating portion. The base 11 has a 1 st surface S1 as a surface on which the protrusions 12 are formed, and a 2 nd surface S2 as a surface opposite to the 1 st surface S1, and the 1 st surface S1 supports the base ends of the protrusions 12.

In the example shown in fig. 1, the structure composed of the projection 12 and the lyophilized drug 14 has a shape obtained by cutting a quadrangular prism obliquely with respect to the direction in which the quadrangular prism extends. The protrusion 12 includes: a side surface S3 which is a peripheral surface extending perpendicularly from a rectangular bottom surface defined in the 1 st surface S1, and an upper surface S4 inclined with respect to the bottom surface. The sides included in the upper surface S4 are all inclined with respect to the bottom surface, and the length of the protrusion 12 from the 1 st surface S1 is largest at the vertex on the back side of the sheet surface of the upper surface S4.

A groove 13 is formed in the protrusion 12. The grooves 13 extend in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, extend in the direction of 1 of the 2 groups of mutually facing sides constituting the bottom surface of the projection 12, and penetrate the projection 12 in the direction along the 1 st surface S1. That is, the groove 13 opens to the upper surface S4 and extends so as to cross the upper surface S4. In the present embodiment, the direction perpendicular to the 1 st surface S1 is an example of the 1 st direction, and in the direction along the 1 st surface S1, the directions along 1 of the 2 groups of mutually facing sides that constitute the bottom surface of the protrusion 12 are examples of the 2 nd direction.

In other words, the groove 13 divides a space recessed toward the base 11 along the 1 st direction, the space continuously extending along the 2 nd direction, so that the groove 13 opens on a part of the side surface S3. More specifically, the groove 13 opens at two of the upper surface S4 and the side surface S3 of the protrusion 12. These openings are connected.

The tank 13 contains a freeze-dried drug 14 as a freeze-dried drug. In such a configuration, the freeze-dried drug 14 is exposed on the surface of the microneedle 10 when viewed from the direction facing the 1 st surface S1, and the freeze-dried drug 14 is also exposed on the surface of the microneedle 10 when viewed from the direction parallel to the 1 st surface S1.

As shown in fig. 2, the bottom of the groove 13 is located inside the protrusion 12 and is located away from the base 11 in the direction perpendicular to the 1 st surface S1.

The length Lt of the protrusion 12 is a length from the 1 st surface S1 of the base 11 to the tip of the protrusion 12 in the direction perpendicular to the 1 st surface S1. The length Lt of the protrusion 12 may be determined according to the purpose of perforation of the protrusion 12, the type of the drug to be administered, and the like. For example, when the length Lt of the protrusion 12 is set to a length such that the tip of the protrusion 12 penetrates the stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of the skin, and does not reach the nerve layer when the protrusion 12 is pierced into the skin of the human body, the length Lt of the protrusion 12 is preferably in the range of 100 μm or more and 2mm or less. Further, the maximum width Dt of the protrusion 12 as viewed from the direction along the extending direction of the groove 13, which is the direction along the 1 st surface S1, i.e., the maximum width Dt of the protrusion 12 as viewed along the 2 nd direction, is preferably from about 10 μm to about 600 μm.

The size of the groove 13 may be determined in accordance with the intended dose of the drug within a range in which the mechanical strength of the protrusion 12 is not excessively reduced. For example, the width Dm of the groove 13 as viewed in the 2 nd direction is about 1/5 to 1/2 of the width Dt of the protrusion 12. If the width Dm is smaller than 1/5 of the width Dt, sufficient mechanical strength can be obtained with respect to the protrusion 12, but it is difficult to fill the groove 13 with the medicine, and the amount of the medicine that can be filled in the groove 13 is small. On the other hand, if the width Dm is larger than 1/2 of the width Dt, it is difficult to ensure the mechanical strength of the protrusion 12 although a large amount of medicine can be filled in the groove 13. When the width Dm is changed, it is preferable that the maximum value of the width Dm is not less than 1/5 of the width Dt and the minimum value of the width Dm is not more than 1/2 of the width Dt.

The length Lm from the 1 st surface S1 to the bottom of the groove 13 in the direction perpendicular to the 1 st surface S1 is preferably equal to or greater than about 1/3 of the length Lt of the protrusion 12. If the length Lm is equal to or greater than 1/3 of the length Lt, the supply of the lyophilized drug 14 stored in the tank 13 into the body smoothly progresses. Further, the length Lm is preferably about 4/5 or less of the length Lt. If the length Lm is equal to or less than 4/5 of the length Lt, the liquid drug filled in the tank 13 is aggregated by freeze-drying, and a sufficient size aggregate is formed, so that the freeze-dried drug is easily held in the tank 13.

The protrusion 12 has a pointed tip end, and the tip end as the apex of the tip end is not located on the line of the straight line a passing through the center of the bottom surface of the protrusion 12 and extending in the direction in which the protrusion 12 extends, and the tip end of the protrusion 12 is located at the edge of the protrusion 12 as viewed from the direction facing the 1 st surface S1.

As shown in fig. 3, the number of the protrusions 12 is not particularly limited as long as it is 1 or more, and may be plural. In fig. 3, the projection 12 located on the nearest front side is shown in a state where the freeze-dried drug 14 is not accommodated in the groove 13, in order to make it easier to understand the shape of the groove 13 formed in the projection 12.

In the case where the microneedle 10 has a plurality of protrusions 12, the plurality of protrusions 12 may be arranged regularly or irregularly on the surface of the substrate 11. For example, the plurality of protrusions 12 are arranged in a lattice shape or concentric circles.

In the case where the microneedle 10 has a plurality of projections 12, it is preferable that the direction in which the grooves 13 formed in the respective projections 12 extend, that is, the direction in which the grooves 13 open, coincide. Specifically, the grooves 13 formed in each of the protrusions 12 are open in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, and are open in the same direction in the direction along the 1 st surface S1. In short, it is preferable that the 2 nd direction is the same direction among the plurality of protrusions 12. This facilitates control of the wettability of the liquid chemical before freeze-drying by the projection 12, and thus the wettability can be controlled so that the liquid chemical can be easily injected into the groove 13. As a result, the accuracy of the amount of the lyophilized drug 14 filled in the groove 13 with respect to the target amount can be improved.

When the microneedle 10 is used, the base 11 is pressed against the skin with the protruding portion 12 facing the skin, and the protruding portion 12 punctures the skin. As a result, the freeze-dried drug 14 is dissolved in the moisture around the skin, and the liquefied drug comes out of the tank 13 and is delivered into the body of the administration subject.

According to such a structure, since the freeze-dried drug 14 is accommodated in the groove 13, the amount of the drug that can be held by the microneedle 10 can be increased as compared with a structure in which the drug is attached to the surface of the protrusion 12.

In addition, microneedles are known which are made of a material such as a polymer having solubility in water and contain a drug in a protruding portion. When such a microneedle is used, the drug is dissolved in a state where the protruding portion penetrates into the skin of the administration target, and the drug is delivered into the body of the administration target. When an attempt is made to increase the amount of a drug to be administered by using a microneedle having such a structure, the ratio of the drug in the constituent components of the protruding portion becomes high, and the ratio of a component for improving mechanical strength, such as a polymer, becomes low, so that the mechanical strength of the protruding portion becomes low. As a result, the piercing performance of the protrusion is reduced. In addition, the microneedles having such a structure are easily deformed by moisture, and as a result, the puncture performance of the projections is easily degraded by storage.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the projection 12 does not contain a drug and can be formed of a material having high mechanical strength, the amount of the drug can be increased while suppressing the deterioration of the puncturing performance of the projection 12.

In addition, a microneedle including a liquid drug is known in the related art, and when such a microneedle is used, the liquid drug is applied through, for example, a through hole provided in a protrusion, and is supplied from the outside in accordance with the penetration of the protrusion. However, in a structure in which microneedles are provided with a liquid drug and these are stored together, since the liquid drug is not suitable for long-term storage, the service life of the microneedles has to be set to a relatively short period of time.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the drug held by the microneedle 10 is freeze-dried, the microneedle 10 containing the drug can be stored for a long period of time.

[ method for producing microneedle ]

A method for manufacturing the microneedle 10 will be described with reference to fig. 4 to 7.

As shown in fig. 4, first, the main body portion 15 having the base 11 and the protrusion 12 is formed.

The main body 15 is preferably formed of a biocompatible material, and among such materials, a material that can withstand the freeze-drying process of the drug is used as the material for forming the main body 15. Examples of such a material include silicon, metals such as stainless steel, titanium, and manganese, and resins such as medical silicon, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polycarbonate, and cyclic olefin polymers. As a material for forming the main body 15, a water-soluble polymer may be used.

The body portion 15 may be manufactured using various known techniques. For example, the body 15 is formed by machining such as cutting or drilling, forming techniques such as laser processing and injection molding, etching, or the like, depending on the material constituting the body 15. Alternatively, the main body 15 may be transferred by preparing an original plate of the main body 15 by such a method, preparing an intaglio plate in which the unevenness of the original plate is inverted by a plating method or a molding method using a resin, and using the prepared intaglio plate.

The main body 15 may be formed by transfer molding using a mold produced by machining. More specifically, the main body 15 may be formed by injection molding, compression molding, blow molding, or the like using a mold using a resin material as a material for forming the main body 15.

In the main body portion 15 of the present embodiment, since the grooves 13 are continuously opened in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1 and the direction along the 1 st surface S1, the formation of the housing portion is easier and the range of processing techniques capable of forming the housing portion is widened compared to a configuration in which the housing portion such as a through hole or a non-through hole that is opened only in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1 is formed in the protrusion portion 12. In particular, if the direction of the opening of the groove 13 formed in each of the plurality of projections 12 is uniform, the groove 13 can be formed continuously by cutting in the plurality of projections 12 arranged in a row without changing the orientation of the blade. In addition, in such a configuration, it is not necessary to change the machining method for forming the outer shape of the protrusion 12 and the groove 13. Thus, the production efficiency of the main body 15 can be improved.

Next, as shown in fig. 5, the groove 13 formed in the protrusion 12 of the main body 15 is filled with a liquid medicine. As a method of filling the medicine, for example, as shown in fig. 5, a method of immersing the tip of the projection 12 in the liquid surface of the stored medicine and sucking up the medicine into the groove 13 by capillary action is employed. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 6, the groove 13 may be filled with a medicine by dropping a medicine in a droplet form toward the groove 13.

The type of the drug is not particularly limited as long as it functions by being administered into the skin, that is, the drug can be lyophilized, and the drug may be a pharmacologically active substance such as a vaccine or a cosmetic composition having a cosmetic effect.

Here, in the body portion 15 of the present embodiment, the groove 13 is opened while extending in a direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1 and in a direction along the 1 st surface S1. Therefore, compared to the configuration in which the projection 12 is provided with the housing such as the through hole or the non-through hole that is open only in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, the medicine can enter the housing from a direction other than the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, and the air pushed out of the housing by the medicine entering the housing is discharged from a direction different from the direction in which the medicine enters. Thus, the medicine easily enters the housing.

In addition, in the structure of the present embodiment, it is easy to ensure a wide entrance for the medicine to enter the housing portion. Since the projection 12 is very small, in the configuration in which the housing is opened only in the direction perpendicular to the 1 st surface S1, the influence of the surface tension of the medicine becomes large, and the medicine is hard to enter the housing. In contrast, in the present embodiment, by securing the wide entrance for the medicine to enter the housing portion, the contact area between the main body 15 and the medicine at the entrance of the housing portion is increased, and as a result, the wettability of the main body 15 with respect to the medicine is improved, and the medicine easily enters the housing portion.

In the case where the medicine is filled by utilizing the capillary phenomenon, in the structure of the present embodiment, the sucking up of the medicine by the capillary phenomenon is controlled by the material constituting the protrusion 12, the surface shape of the groove 13 such as the periodicity of the processing trace on the inner surface of the groove 13 and the surface roughness, the liquid properties such as the viscosity and the surface tension of the medicine, and the width Dm of the groove 13. In particular, the surface shape of the groove 13 and the width Dm of the groove 13 can be appropriately changed, and therefore, these can be adjusted so as to cause the capillary phenomenon in accordance with the material constituting the protrusion 12 and the liquid properties of the drug. Therefore, various materials and medicines can be used as the material and the kind of the medicine constituting the protrusion portion 12, and therefore, the versatility is high.

On the other hand, in the case where the medicine is filled by dropping the medicine in the form of droplets, in the structure of the present embodiment, compared with the structure in which the housing portion that is open only in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1 is formed, the droplets are more likely to hang on the housing portion on the upper surface S4 of the protrusion portion 12, and the droplets are suppressed from sliding on the upper surface S4. From such a viewpoint, filling of the drug is also facilitated.

As shown in fig. 7, by freeze-drying the drug filled in the groove 13, the microneedle 10 in which the freeze-dried drug 14 is accommodated in the groove 13 can be obtained. As the freeze-drying method, any known method may be used, and in the freeze-drying step, after the drug is frozen in an environment of minus several tens of degrees, moisture is sublimated from the frozen drug in a vacuum state.

As described above, the microneedle 10 serving as the drug administration device of the present embodiment can provide the following effects.

(1) Since the drug is stored in the groove 13 as the storage portion, the amount of the drug that can be held by the microneedle 10 can be increased as compared with a structure in which the drug is attached to the surface of the protrusion portion 12. Further, since the microneedles 10 are provided with the lyophilized drug, long-term storage of the microneedles 10 containing the drug can be achieved.

The microneedle 10 can be manufactured by a manufacturing method including a step of manufacturing the body 15 including the base 11 and the protruding portion 12, a step of filling the housing with a liquid drug, and a step of freeze-drying the drug filled in the housing.

(2) The groove 13 serving as a housing portion for housing the freeze-dried drug 14 defines a space recessed toward the base 11 in a direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, and extends in 1 direction along the 1 st surface S1 so as to be open to a part of the side surface S3 of the protrusion 12. Therefore, the liquid medicine before freeze-drying is more likely to enter the storage section than in a configuration in which the storage section is opened only in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1. Therefore, filling of the medicine becomes easy, and the accuracy of the filled amount of the medicine with respect to the target amount can be improved.

Further, according to the above configuration of the housing unit of the present embodiment, the volume of the housing unit can be more easily ensured to be larger than the configuration in which the housing unit is opened only in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, and therefore the housing amount of the medicine can be easily increased. Further, since the amount of the drug exposed to the surface of the projection 12 is increased, the efficiency of freeze-drying can be improved, and the drug can be easily freeze-dried uniformly. Further, since the amount of the drug exposed to the surface of the projection 12 is increased, the efficiency of dissolving the freeze-dried drug 14 in water and diffusing the same into the body can be improved when administering the drug. Thus, the freeze-dried drug 14 can be administered by merely piercing the microneedle 10 into the subject without dissolving the drug in advance with physiological saline or the like.

(3) Since the bottom of the groove 13 is located inside the protrusion 12 and at a position away from the base 11, the mechanical strength of the protrusion 12 can be improved at the base of the protrusion 12 where stress is likely to concentrate, compared to a structure in which the bottom of the groove 13 reaches the base 11. Further, since the freeze-dried drug 14 is intensively disposed in the portion of the protrusion 12 that is penetrated to a deeper position than the skin, the freeze-dried drug 14 stored in the groove 13 is more easily and reliably delivered into the body.

(4) Since the groove 13 penetrates the protrusion 12 in the direction along the 1 st surface S1, the volume of the housing and the opening area of the housing on the circumferential surface of the protrusion 12 can be easily secured to be larger. Therefore, the effect (2) can be improved. Further, the formation of the groove 13 becomes easy.

(5) The protrusion 12 has a pointed tip end, and the tip end, which is the apex of the tip end, is located at the edge of the protrusion 12 when viewed in the direction facing the 1 st surface S1. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the grooves 13 in the region of the projection 12 avoiding the tip is improved when viewed in the direction facing the 1 st surface S1. That is, the ease of penetration of the protruding portion 12 into the skin is improved by the pointed distal end portion, and the degree of freedom of the size, shape, and position of the groove 13 is also improved by disposing the distal end of the protruding portion 12 at the edge portion of the protruding portion 12.

In the above configuration, the inclination angle from the distal end to the proximal end of the protrusion 12 is not necessarily constant around the distal end of the protrusion 12. Therefore, when the groove 13 is filled with the medicine by dropping the medicine in the form of droplets, the droplets are less likely to slip off the circumferential surface of the protrusion 12 than in a structure in which the inclination angle is constant, such as a cone. As a result, the groove 13 can be easily filled with the medicine.

(6) In the plurality of protrusions 12, since the direction in which the grooves 13 formed in each of the plurality of protrusions 12 open is uniform, the grooves 13 are easily formed. Specifically, the grooves 13 may be formed in a single operation for the plurality of protrusions 12 or the grooves 13 may be formed continuously for each of the plurality of protrusions 12 by using various processing techniques such as machining or laser processing. Thus, the production efficiency of the main body 15 can be improved.

[ modified examples ]

A modified example of the shape of the microneedle will be described with reference to fig. 8 to 18. In the following, the same components as those of the above-described embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

The microneedle 20 shown in fig. 8 has a groove 23 instead of the groove 13 of the microneedle 10 of the above embodiment. The bottom of the groove may be located in the bottom surface of the protrusion 12, as in the groove 23 shown in fig. 8. That is, the groove 23 penetrates the protrusion 12, but does not enter the inside of the base 11. According to such a configuration, although the mechanical strength of the projection 12 is lower than that of the microneedle 10 of the above embodiment, the space in which the lyophilized drug 14 can be stored can be secured large, and therefore the storage amount of the lyophilized drug 14 can be increased.

In the microneedle 30 shown in fig. 9, a through passage 33 is formed as a housing part in place of the groove 13 of the microneedle 10 of the above embodiment. The through passage 33 penetrates the base 11 and the protrusion 12 in the direction in which the protrusion 12 extends, and the structure other than the depth of the hole of the through passage 33 is the same as that of the groove 13 of the above embodiment.

In this case, when the microneedle 30 is used, it is preferable that a liquid including water is injected into the through passage 33 from the opening of the through passage 33 that opens on the 2 nd surface S2 of the base 11 in a state where the protruding portion 12 penetrates the skin. Thereby, the freeze-dried drug 14 is dissolved in the injected liquid, and the liquefied drug is delivered into the body of the administration target after coming out from the opening of the through passage 33 that opens at the upper surface S4 of the projection 12.

With this configuration, a large space can be ensured in which the freeze-dried drug 14 can be stored. Further, when the microneedle 30 is used, moisture can be actively supplied to the freeze-dried drug 14, and thus the drug administration efficiency can be improved.

The microneedle 40 shown in fig. 10 has a groove 43 instead of the groove 13 of the microneedle 10 of the above embodiment. As in the groove 43 shown in fig. 10, the receiving portion may not penetrate the protrusion 12 in the direction along the 1 st surface S1. In such a structure, the groove 43 defines a space recessed toward the base 11 in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, the space continuously extending in 1 direction along the 1 st surface S1, so that the groove 43 opens at a part of the side surface S3 of the protrusion 12. More specifically, the groove 43 opens at 1 in the upper surface S4 and the side surface S3 of the protrusion 12. These openings are connected.

The microneedle 50 shown in fig. 11 has a groove 53 instead of the groove 13 of the microneedle 10 of the above embodiment. As illustrated in fig. 11, the housing portion may be extended in a different direction and opened at 3 or more of the side surfaces S3 of the protrusion 12, as long as the housing portion defines a space recessed toward the base 11 in a direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, extends in 1 direction along the 1 st surface S1, and is opened in a part of the side surfaces S3 of the protrusion 12. In the example shown in fig. 11, the groove 53 extends in a direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1 and in a direction along each of the 2 sets of mutually facing sides of the bottom surface of the protrusion 12. In this case, a direction along any 1 group of the above-described 2 groups of sides facing each other is the 2 nd direction. The groove 53 is opened at 4 of the upper surface S4 and the side surface S3 of the protrusion 12, and these openings are all connected. The groove 53 has a cross-like shape when viewed from the direction facing the 1 st surface S1.

In addition, from the viewpoint of improving the ease of forming the grooves and the mechanical strength of the protrusions 12, it is preferable that the grooves are opened at two positions of the upper surface S4 and the side surface S3 of the protrusions 12 as in the above-described embodiment, and the protrusions 12 are penetrated only in 1 direction along the 1 st surface S1.

The microneedle 60 shown in fig. 12 has a protruding portion 62 instead of the protruding portion 12 of the microneedle 10 of the above embodiment. The structure composed of the projection 62 and the lyophilized drug 14 has a shape obtained by obliquely cutting a column with respect to the direction in which the column extends. In this case, the protrusion 62 has a side surface S5 as a peripheral surface extending perpendicularly from a circular bottom surface defined in the 1 st surface S1, and an upper surface S6 inclined with respect to the bottom surface. The groove 13 defines a space recessed toward the base 11 in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, and the space extends continuously in 1 direction along the 1 st surface S1, so that the groove 13 opens at a part of the side surface S5 of the protrusion 62. More specifically, the groove 13 opens at two of the upper surface S6 and the side surface S5 of the protrusion 62.

In such a configuration, the protrusion 62 also has a pointed tip end, and the tip end of the protrusion 62 is positioned at the edge of the protrusion 62 when viewed from the direction facing the 1 st surface S1.

The microneedle 70 shown in fig. 13 has a protruding portion 72 instead of the protruding portion 12 of the microneedle 10 of the above embodiment. As in the protrusion 72 shown in fig. 13, the protrusion may have a pointed tip end, and the tip end of the protrusion may be located at the center of the protrusion when viewed from the direction facing the 1 st surface S1. In the example shown in fig. 13, the protrusion 72 has a conical shape, and the groove 13 is disposed at a position offset from the center of the protrusion 72 when viewed from the direction facing the 1 st surface S1. In such a structure, the groove 13 also defines a space recessed toward the base 11 in the direction orthogonal to the 1 st surface S1, the space continuously extending in 1 direction along the 1 st surface S1, so that the groove 13 opens at a portion of the peripheral surface S7 of the protrusion 72. In place of this configuration, the groove 13 may be disposed at the center of the protrusion 72 when viewed from the direction facing the 1 st surface S1, and the protrusion 72 may have no apex as the tip of the tip.

Further, the protrusion is not limited to the examples described above, and may have a quadrangular pyramid shape, or may have a shape such that the tip end is not sharp, such as a cylindrical shape or a prismatic shape. The protrusion may have a shape obtained by joining 2 or more three-dimensional bodies, such as a shape in which a cone is laminated on a cylinder. In short, the effect (1) can be obtained if the projection is shaped to pierce the skin and the freeze-dried drug is stored in the storage portion formed in the projection.

For example, the projections may have a curved upper surface S8, as in the projections 82 of the microneedles 80 shown in fig. 14. The upper surface S8 of the protrusion 82 is formed by cutting using a cutting tool that is curved, for example.

The shape of the housing portion is not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and the housing portion may extend obliquely with respect to the direction in which the protrusion extends. That is, the 1 st direction is not limited to the direction perpendicular to the 1 st surface S1, and may be 1 direction intersecting the 1 st surface. In short, the above-described effect (2) can be obtained if the housing section extends in the direction intersecting the 1 st surface S1 in the direction away from the base body 11, and opens at the front end in the extending direction and the peripheral surface extending from the 1 st surface S1. Further, if the housing portion has such a structure, the housing portion may have, for example, a shape such that: in the plane parallel to the 1 st plane S1, the size of the region occupied by the groove as the housing portion becomes larger or smaller as it approaches the bottom of the groove. Further, the wall surface of the housing portion may not be flat.

Specifically, as in the groove 93 of the microneedle 90 shown in fig. 15, the size of the region occupied by the groove in the plane parallel to the 1 st plane S1 may be reduced as it approaches the bottom of the groove. In the example shown in fig. 15, the width Dm of the groove 93 becomes smaller as the groove approaches the substrate 11 along the 1 st direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the 1 st surface S1, and the bottom of the groove 93 has a line shape extending along the 2 nd direction, which is a direction along the groove 93 of the 1 st surface S1.

As shown in fig. 16, the microneedle 100 may have a groove 103, and the bottom surface of the groove may be curved. In this case, the most recessed portion in the bottom surface, i.e., the portion closest to the base 11 in the bottom surface, is the bottom of the groove.

The width Dm of the groove may vary in the 2 nd direction, which is a direction along the 1 st surface S1 in which the groove extends. For example, as in the groove 113 of the microneedle 110 shown in fig. 17, the groove width Dm may be gradually increased from one end portion of the groove toward the other end portion thereof along the 2 nd direction. Alternatively, as in the groove 123 of the microneedle 120 shown in fig. 18, the groove width Dm may be increased in the middle portion between one end portion and the other end portion of the groove along the 2 nd direction. As in the groove 123 shown in fig. 18, the inner surface of the groove may be curved.

In addition, a specific example of the drug administration device is not limited to a microneedle, and the length Lt of the protrusion may be several tens of mm or more as long as the portion of the protrusion, which contains the lyophilized drug, is penetrated into the skin. In this case, when the medicine administration device is used, for example, a spacer (spacer) is used which adjusts the length of the projection to be inserted into the skin to such an extent that the portion of the projection in which the freeze-dried medicine is stored remains in the skin. In such a configuration, when the liquid medicine is filled into the housing portion, the medicine is prevented from adhering to the base 11 and being unnecessarily consumed.

The drug stored in the storage unit is not limited to a freeze-dried drug, and may be a dry drug. That is, the medicine provided in the medicine administering device may be solid. Examples of the drying method instead of freeze drying include room temperature drying, vacuum drying, and heat drying. With this configuration, the amount of the medicine that can be held by the medicine administering device can be increased.