High-Throughput Screening of Transdermal Formulations

Transdermal drug delivery, although efficient, is limited by skin’s low permeability. Over 300 chemical enhancers have been found to enhance skin permeability but only a few are used in industry. A synergistic effect caused by two or more of these chemical enhancers may increase permeability. Use of a high throughput method enables many chemical formulations to be screened rapidly. By the application of chemical formulations on top layers of skin, subsequent application of an electric field enables the measurement of the change in the skin’s conductivity. With these experiments not only will we e able to discover more effective enhancer mixtures, but also we gain a better understanding of the effects of the enhancers on skin permeability.