The device that has captured the attention of medical experts around the world is a single patch, applied to the skin that enables the painless, controlled release of one or more drugs into the body. The patch delivers medication intradermally - just below the surface of the skin - and enables precise control of dosage timing, access to dosage history, patient activation mechanisms and safety protocols for preventing adverse drug interactions.
Current transdermal patch technology which relies on absorption through the skin, is widely used for the delivery of nicotine as a method to quit smoking. However, it has not been particularly effective as a delivery mechanism for many or multiple drugs because the skin acts as a natural barrier.
Similarly, traditional delivery systems for drugs place a heavy burden on people to properly administer the correct dosage at the right time, or in response to a subjective appraisal of need. The prevalence of error with these traditional systems, such as hypodermic needles, means that efficacy, safety and ease-of-use are diminished. And medications delivered via injection are often painful and intimidating for patients. Furthermore, the efficacy of drugs taken orally can be reduced by up to 95 percent alone because of stomach acid.
The ingenuity of the HP-developed skin patch is that it uses microneedles that barely penetrate the skin. The microneedle technology radically reduces discomfort compared to traditional hypodermic needles and enables the technique to be used with a much wider variety of drugs and biopharmaceuticals. It also allows medication to quickly enter the bloodstream, resulting in the potential delivery of lower and more precise dosages.
"We believe it's an industry first to be able to deliver multiple drugs through a single patch with microneedles," says John O'Dea, chief executive officer of Crospon, a medical device developer based in Galway, Ireland.
Crospon, which focuses on the monitoring and treatment of diabetes and gastroesophageal reflux disorder, has recently inked an agreement with HP to license the skin patch technology. Under the agreement, HP will license its intellectual property to Crospon, which will commercialise the patch and make it available to pharmaceutical companies across Asia and around the world to use in various therapeutic areas.
"We're delighted to be working with HP on this project," continues Mr O'Dea.
"This industry-first skin patch allows Crospon to offer a superior drug delivery platform for doctors and patients."
The Crospon deal is just one example of how HP's intellectual property licensing strategy enables the company to push HP technology and research into new markets, enabling companies to gain access to HP's core competencies in imaging, printing, mobility, software, and next-generation datacentres.
"This ‘technological transfer' is a good example of how HP, through its IP Licensing Group, actively seeks out its broad intellectual property throughout the whole of HP, which can then be repurposed and reapplied to other products that benefit consumers," says Dr Lim Eng Hann.
HP currently holds approximately 30,000 patents. In 2003, the company made the strategic decision to develop an IP licensing program to generate a greater return on its sizeable investment in research and development, which totalled USD.6 billion last year.
Other recent examples of where the program has been utilised to great effect include:
