Dissolving Microneedles Incorporating Kopexil Multicomponent Crystals for Improved Transdermal Delivery

January 2026 in “ Drug Delivery and Translational Research ”

Ying Deng, Si Nga Wong, Wing Chi Nico Chan, Xinyue Zhang, Shing Fung Chow

microneedles kopexil minoxidil analog multicomponent crystals androgenetic alopecia benzoic acid salicylic acid transdermal delivery KPX AGA

TLDR Multicomponent crystals in microneedles improve drug delivery for hair loss treatment.

This study explores the use of multicomponent crystals (MCCs) in microneedle drug delivery for treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Researchers synthesized kopexil (KPX), a minoxidil analog, into MCCs with benzoic acid and salicylic acid, forming KPX-BA·H2O and KPX-SA·H2O hydrates. These MCCs were incorporated into dissolving microneedles, which showed improved transdermal delivery by reducing KPX diffusion by 1.86-fold and 3.20-fold compared to KPX·H2O in vitro. The study highlights the potential of MCCs for enhancing drug delivery, offering a promising strategy for clinical application in AGA treatment due to their biocompatibility, scalable production, and painless application.

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research Minoxidil Multi-Component Crystals with Aromatic Carboxylic Acids: Theoretical Calculation and Structural Analysis

research Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Hair Loss Prevention Shampoo Containing Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, and Niacinamide in Alopecia Patients

research Treatment Options for Androgenetic Alopecia: Efficacy, Side Effects, Compliance, Financial Considerations, and Ethics

research Determination of Protonation State in Molecular Salt of Minoxidil and 2,4-Dihydroxybenzoic Acid Through a Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study: Influence of Proton Transfer on Biological Activities

research Early-Onset Androgenetic Alopecia in China: A Descriptive Study of a Large Outpatient Cohort

research Structural Characterization and Dissolution Profile of Mycophenolic Acid Cocrystals

research SALT II: A New Take on the Severity of Alopecia Tool for Determining Percentage Scalp Hair Loss

research Topical Products for Human Hair Regeneration: A Comparative Study on an Animal Model

research Attempted Construction of Minoxidil: Carboxylic Acid Cocrystals; 7 Salts and 1 Cocrystal Resulted

research Androgenetic Alopecia: Treatments and Efficacy

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