Microneedles for CNS and Brain Drug Delivery

The delivery of therapeutics to the Central Nervous System (CNS) and brain remains one of the biggest challenges in pharmaceutics due to the presence of the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). Conventional routes often fail to achieve therapeutic concentrations in brain tissue while causing systemic side effects. Microneedle technology has emerged as a minimally invasive, patient-friendly platform that enables direct and targeted drug delivery across biological barriers. By bypassing the BBB through transdermal, intranasal, or direct CNS routes, microneedles can enhance drug bioavailability and localization. Recent advances have expanded the scope of microneedles from delivering small molecules to complex biologics. Integration with next-generation carriers such as exosomes for targeted delivery, and gene therapy vectors like CRISPR-Cas and mRNA, is revolutionizing CNS treatment. This convergence allows for precision therapy in neurodegenerative diseases, brain tumors, and psychiatric disorders.This chapter discusses the design principles, material advancements, and applications of microneedles for CNS and brain drug delivery.