Intellectual Property Rights in Minimally Invasive Drug Delivery System

Minimally invasive drug delivery systems (MIDDS) are becoming a game changer in the healthcare sector due to their offering of targeted, efficacious, and patient-friendly treatment options. Such systems utilize advanced technologies such as microneedles, transferosomes, sonophoresis, and other implantable devices to deliver medications directly to the desired site, which lessens systemic side effects and improves therapeutic outcomes. The story of innovation in this domain stands on the strong foundation of IP strategies that cover novel designs, compositions, and methods of delivery. Patents encourage research by fostering proprietary technologies while enabling partnerships and licensing opportunities, and trademarks protect distinctive signs, symbols, words, or designs that identify and distinguish the goods or services of one entity from those of others. Nonetheless, in view of the rapid evolution of MIDDS, various pertinent and crucial challenges arise: navigating the patent landscape, infringement risks, and others entailing ethical issues regarding access and affordability. This article summarizes the patent and trademark in the sector of the transdermal drug delivery system and the recent advancements in the microneedle and other technologies registered in USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office).