Microneedle array device and method of making

1. A microneedle array device comprising:

a substrate;

an array of microneedles on the substrate, wherein each microneedle is made of a hydrogel, the hydrogel comprising a redox enzyme and a redox mediator; and

an electrically conductive layer on the substrate, wherein the electrically conductive layer extends along a sidewall of each microneedle of the array of microneedles to a first height without covering a tip of a corresponding microneedle, the first height being between about 30% to about 90% of a height of the corresponding microneedle, wherein the electrically conductive layer does not extend into the corresponding microneedle, wherein the electrically conductive layer does not extend directly under the corresponding microneedle, and wherein the tip of the corresponding microneedle not covered with the electrically conductive layer is configured to act as a sensing area of the microneedle array device and to shuttle electrons from the redox mediator through the hydrogel to the electrically conductive layer.

2. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible polymeric sheet selected from the group consisting of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PEN (polyethylene naphthalate), PEEK (polyether ether ketone), PI (polyimide), silicones, and siloxanes.

3. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 wherein each microneedle is configured to cause indentation in human body tissue, wherein the hydrogel comprises a biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel, wherein the biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel comprises :

a monomer, an oligomer, a prepolymer, or a combination thereof;

a binder; and

photo-active materials (PAC) or photoinitiators (PhI).

4. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 wherein each microneedle is configured to cause indentation in human body tissue, wherein the hydrogel comprises a biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel, wherein the biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel comprises polyethylene glycol diacrylate.

5. The microneedle array device according to claim 4 wherein the polyethylene glycol diacrylate has a molecular weight between 200 to 6,000 daltons.

6. The microneedle array device according to claim 3 wherein the biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

wherein each of n and m is a positive integer.

7. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 wherein the redox enzyme comprises glucose oxidase or lactate oxidase.

8. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 wherein the redox mediator is selected from the group consisting of vinylferrocene, ferrocene derivatives, ferricyanide, conducting organic salts, tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF-TCNQ), quinone compounds, transition-metal complexes, and phenothiazine and phenoxazine compounds, and osmium bipyridine complexes.

9. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 wherein the redox mediator shifts between oxidized and reduced states and facilitates electron transfer during a reaction between an analyte and the redox enzyme in a physiological medium.

10. The microneedle array device according to claim 9 wherein the analyte comprises at least one of glucose or lactate.

11. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to the array of microneedles.

12. The microneedle array device according to claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive layer is further configured to electrically connect each microneedle to other microneedles.

13. A microneedle array device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

an array of microneedles on the flexible substrate extending away from the flexible substrate, wherein each microneedle is made of a hydrogel, the hydrogel comprising a redox enzyme and a redox mediator; and

an electrically conductive layer on the flexible substrate and partially covering a sidewall of each microneedle of the array of microneedles and exposing a tip of a corresponding microneedle, wherein the tip of the corresponding microneedle is configured to act as a sensing area of the microneedle array device and to shuttle electrons from the redox mediator through the hydrogel to the electrically conductive layer, and wherein the electrically conductive layer does not extend directly under the corresponding microneedle.

14. The microneedle array device according to claim 13 wherein a layer formed from an organosilane solution acting as adhesive layer is interposed between the flexible substrate and the hydrogel.

15. The microneedle array device according to claim 13 wherein each microneedle is configured to cause indentation in human body tissue, the hydrogel comprises a biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel, the biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel comprising:

a monomer, an oligomer, a prepolymer, or a combination thereof;

a binder; and

photo-active materials (PAC) or photoinitiators (PhI).

16. The microneedle array device according to claim 13 , wherein each microneedle is configured to cause indentation in human body tissue, the hydrogel comprises a biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel, wherein the biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel comprises polyethylene glycol diacrylate.

17. The microneedle array device according to claim 13 wherein the redox enzyme comprises at least one of glucose oxidase and lactate oxidase.

18. The microneedle array device according to claim 13 wherein the redox mediator is selected from the group consisting of vinylferrocene, ferrocene derivatives, ferricyanide, conducting organic salts comprising tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane, TTF-TCNQ, quinone compounds, transition-metal complexes, phenothiazine and phenoxazine compounds, and osmium bipyridine complexes.

19. A microneedle array device comprising:

a substrate;

an array of microneedles disposed on the substrate, wherein each microneedle is made of hydrogel, the hydrogel comprising a redox enzyme and redox mediator, wherein the redox mediator is configured to shift between oxidized and reduced states and facilitate electron transfer during a reaction between an analyte and the redox enzyme in a physiological medium; and

an electrically conductive layer on the substrate, the electrically conductive layer partially covering a sidewall of each microneedle of the array of microneedles without covering a tip of a corresponding microneedle, wherein the electrically conductive layer does not extend into the corresponding microneedle, wherein the electrically conductive layer does not extend directly under the corresponding microneedle, and wherein the tip of the corresponding microneedle not covered with the electrically conductive layer is configured to act as a sensing area of the microneedle array device and includes no cavity and to shuttle electrons from the redox mediator through the hydrogel to the electrically conductive layer.

20. The microneedle array device according to claim 19 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel, the biocompatible and photodefinable hydrogel comprising:

a monomer, an oligomer, a prepolymer, or a combination thereof;

a binder; and

photo-active materials (PAC) or photoinitiators (PhI).

21. The microneedle array device according to claim 19 , wherein the hydrogel comprises polyethylene glycol diacrylate.

22. The microneedle array device according to claim 19 , wherein each microneedle is configured to cause indentation into a body tissue.

23. The microneedle array device according to claim 19 , wherein the redox enzyme comprises at least one of glucose oxidase and lactate oxidase.

24. The microneedle array device according to claim 19 , wherein the redox mediator is selected from the group consisting of vinylferrocene, ferrocene derivatives, ferricyanide, conducting organic salts comprising tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane, TTF-TCNQ, quinone compounds, transition-metal complexes, phenothiazine and phenoxazine compounds, and osmium bipyridine complexes.