| abstract |
Side-ported microneedles are produced from a suitably shaped microneedle mould (40). A microneedle mould base (32) is made with a number of microneedle mould recesses (30) in it. One surface of the microneedle mould base (32) is coated with a seed layer (34). The microneedle mould base (32) contains two microneedle mould sheets (24, 26), which are separated to gain access to an internal surface of one of the microneedle mould sheets (24, 26). Side-port forming channels (38) are formed on one of the internal surfaces, intersecting with the recesses (30) within the relevant microneedle mould sheet (24). The two microneedle mould sheets (24, 26) are placed back together and joined together as a unitary microneedle mould (40). The microneedles are formed in the recesses (30) by depositing a microneedle layer (44) therein and on the surface with the seed layer (34). The microneedle layer (44) fails to deposit at side-port forming holes (42) where the side-port forming channels (38) intersect the recesses (30), which result in side-ports (46) in the moulded microneedles (52). |