An applicator for an analyte monitoring device may include an actuatable housing having a body defining a cavity therein and having a distal opening and a side opening. A cuff and a shuttle are received within the cavity and are separately translatable relative to the housing body. A base may removable engage the housing body at the distal opening. The housing body, the cuff, the shuttle, and/or the base may be engaged with one another with one or more releasable coupling features. The base may be removed from an engagement with the housing body, causing the cuff and the shuttle to be aligned and positioned in a configuration in which the analyte monitoring device, held by the shuttle, is ready for insertion into the skin.

To provide a microneedle array which includes a sheet and needles, improves transfer of a medicament into the blood, and is capable of achieving high drug efficacy.

Provided is a microneedle array including: a sheet; and a plurality of needles present on the upper surface of the sheet, in which the needles contain a water-soluble polymer and a medicament, the sheet contains a water-soluble polymer, and the administration is performed such that 20 μm≦L2≦L−L1 is satisfied, here, L represents the length of a needle, L1 represents the length of a needle tip region, which contains 90% of the total medicament in the microneedle array, from the needle tip, L2 represents the average remaining length of the needle after administration using the microneedle array, and the unit of L, L1, and L2 is μm.

An applicator (100) for applying a microneedle device to a skin surface comprising a first portion (102) comprising a microneedle array (107), and a second portion (104) coupled to the first portion via a connector (106). The connector can be configured to yield or fracture by changing from a first state in which the connector is intact to a second state in which the connector is yielded or fractured when a threshold application force is applied to at least one of the first portion and the second portion in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the first portion. A method can include pressing the applicator in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first portion to press the microneedle array into the skin surface until the threshold application force is met or exceeded and the connector is changed to its second state.

An applicator (100) for applying a microneedle device to a skin surface. The applicator can include a microneedle device (106), a housing (102), and a connecting member (110). The connecting member can be configured to allow the microneedle device to move between: (i) a first position in which at least a portion of the microneedle device extends beyond the housing; and (ii) a second position in which the microneedle device is recessed within the housing when a threshold application force is applied to the microneedle device in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the microneedle device.

There is provided glucagon formulations suitable for preparing coatings on microneedle patches for the transdermal delivery of glucagon. The coated patches may be used for the treatment of low blood sugar in diabetic patients. Also provided are glucagon loaded patches, methods for their preparation, and methods of their use.

A method for delivering matter into a human body is provided via a manual or automatic hand-held delivery device configured to provide a pressurized stream of fluid. The fluid contains compounds, chemicals, nutrients, vitamins or other desired matter. A user, via the device, is configured to target the pressurized stream of fluid to a location on the human body, e.g. the user's skin or mucosa. The pressurized stream is configured to penetrate the user's skin or mucosa such that at least a portion of the fluid is absorbed into the user's skin or mucosa. Various preconditioning methods are provided to increase the absorption rate and bioavailability.

A microneedle has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defines a lumen. The proximal end portion is configured to be coupled to a cartridge to place the lumen in fluid communication with the cartridge. The proximal end portion includes a base surface that is configured to be placed in contact with a surface of a target tissue. The distal end portion of the microneedle includes a beveled surface. The beveled surface defines a tip angle of less than about 20 degrees and a ratio of a bevel height to a bevel width of less than about 2.5.

A method for delivering a bioactive agent to the cardiovascular system is described. The method delivers the agent at a high bioavailability and with little loss of agent to the natural defense mechanisms of the body. For instance, little or none of the bioactive agent will be sequestered in lymph tissue and prevented from circulation in the cardiovascular system. The method includes utilization of a transdermal delivery device including microneedles with structures fabricated on a surface of the microneedles to form a nanotopography. A random or non-random pattern of structures may be fabricated such as a complex pattern including structures of differing sizes and/or shapes.

Apparatuses and methods for delivering bioactive substances or cosmetic substances using plasmaporation and microneedles are provided. The delivery of the substances includes topical, intracellular, intercellular, and transdermal delivery to the subject.

A microneedle set including a microneedle injection device that introduces a liquid to a skin of a body part, and a piercing assisting tool fixable to the body part. The microneedle injection device includes a hollow needle shaped body having a projection in an end portion thereof and a through hole connected to the projection such that the liquid passes through the through hole and is released from a tip portion of the projection, and a supply device that supplies the liquid to the hollow needle shaped body. The piercing assisting tool includes a fixing part which has an aperture formed therein and fixes a position of the aperture on the body part, and a cover connected to a peripheral portion of the aperture such that the aperture is opened or closed by the cover.