Application Of Veterinary Micro Needles: The Innovative Practice Of Shenzhen Polytechnic University

Veterinary needle application: The innovative practice of Shenzhen Polytechnic University in the veterinary field. Micro-needle technology provides an innovative solution to the problem of drug administration in animals. The "Veterinary Lactitis Micro-needle" project team of Shenzhen Polytechnic University has made breakthrough progress in this field, independently developing veterinary lactitis micro-needle patches, providing a new solution for the treatment of dairy cow mastitis. Technological breakthrough: This product uses biodegradable materials and delivers drugs directly to the lesion site through transdermal administration, avoiding the trauma and infection risks caused by traditional injections. At the same time, the unique circular design of the micro-needle patch makes it more suitable for dairy cows' breasts, making the drug administration more convenient and rapid. The project has three core technologies: polymer polymerization technology, nano-graphene technology, and unique circular design. It has applied for 5 patents, of which 3 have been authorized. Market potential: The veterinary medical device market has great potential. The number of dairy cows in China is increasing year by year, and the annual market size of veterinary mastitis injection syringes has reached tens of billions of yuan. The project team established a company in July 2024 and carried out strategic cooperation with pharmaceutical factories and rural economic cooperatives, promoting the market through precise promotion on multiple-channel network platforms, gradually expanding the market. International research progress: The Kornicka Justyna team from the Microsystem Division of the University of Frolowafw in Poland published a study in "Scientific Reports" using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology to manufacture molds and developing a fast-dissolving PVP/PVA micro-needle patch through a two-step molding process, providing a customized drug delivery solution for veterinary medicine. This micro-needle patch has high mechanical strength (penetration force ≥ 0.4N), fast dissolution speed (100 seconds complete dissolution), and can precisely deliver drugs. Technical advantages: In the veterinary field, traditional drug administration methods such as oral tablets or injections face many challenges: animals resist swallowing, injections trigger stress responses, and local application of drugs is difficult to penetrate deep tissues (such as gums or joints). Especially for pets like cats and dogs, the incidence of gum diseases is as high as 60%, but existing treatment methods are inefficient. The micro-needle technology, due to its painless and precise characteristics, is widely used in human medicine, but its exploration in veterinary medicine is still in the initial stage. Research application: Another study tested a biodegradable micro-needle patch composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), collagen (COL), and chitosan (CHI) on pigs to evaluate the transdermal absorption of two model compounds - fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) and flunixin meglumine (FLU). The study confirmed that anatomical location (vascularization degree, skin thickness) and physicochemical properties of the drug (water solubility, molecular weight) are key factors affecting the transdermal drug delivery efficiency, providing a basis for optimizing the veterinary drug delivery system. Canine vaccine micro-needle: Inserting responsive micro-needle (IRMN) is the first successful micro-needle system that delivers canine vaccines into the furless dog's skin without removing the dog's fur. The tip of the IRMN separates from the base and successfully delivers to the fur-covered skin, with a puncture performance similar to coated micro-needles (95%), but with a delivery efficiency of 95% compared to less than 1% of coated micro-needles. Using IRMN can provide convenience and compliance advantages for dogs and their owners. Industry-university-research integration: The project team of Shenzhen Polytechnic University, relying on the school's research platform and resources, carried out in-depth cooperation with Guangzhou Xinji Weina Biotechnology Co., Ltd., successfully independently developed a new veterinary micro-needle device, breaking the foreign technology monopoly. The project team also launched an online open course "Soluble Micro-needle Technology", integrating the project content as a training case into the talent training plan, helping students develop professionally. Global Market: According to the statistics from Hanchou Chengsi Research, the revenue scale of global veterinary subcutaneous injection needles will be approximately 865 million yuan in 2025, and it will approach 1.339 billion yuan by 2032. The CAGR from 2026 to 2032 will be 6.4%. The major players in the global market include Terumo, BOENMED, Swastik Enterprise, Cardinal Health, Shanghai Kangdelai, etc. Microneedle technology, as a cross-disciplinary innovation achievement, is bringing revolutionary changes in multiple fields such as medicine, beauty, diagnosis, and veterinary. From the breakthrough in MEMS process precision to the painless delivery of vaccines, from the convenient experience of home beauty to the continuous monitoring of chronic diseases management, and to the humanized improvement of animal medical care, microneedle technology demonstrates its extensive application prospects and huge market potential. With the continuous progress of materials science, manufacturing processes, and bioengineering, microneedle technology will play a more important role in the future medical and health fields.