Expertise in microreplication results in a simple method for pretreating skin

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--3M Drug Delivery Systems today introduced the 3M Microchannel Skin System, a new tool that can be used by dermatologists for pretreatment of patients’ skin prior to dermatological applications and procedures. The 3M Microchannel Skin System consists of a patch with hundreds of microneedles used to create microchannels in the outermost layer of the skin with minimal discomfort for patients.

This new system consists of a snap-on handle and a sterile single-patient use microneedle patch, providing dermatologists with a simple and cost-effective tool for pretreatment. To use the product, users simply clean the area to be treated, snap the handle onto a patch, and press gently into the skin in a vertical stamping motion. The patch is then disposed. This system provides an economical, sterile option versus the existing reusable microneedle products that must be cleaned between uses.

The 3M Microchannel Skin System will be distributed exclusively through Henry Schein and made available only to dermatologists to ensure that patients receive optimal benefit from the product. The system is supplied in three convenient configurations: an Office pack (25 patches, 5 handles), a Patient pack (5 patches, 1 handle) and a Handle pack (5 handles). Patient packs may be sold to patients at the dermatologist’s discretion for home use.

The microneedle technology in the 3M Microchannel Skin System is based on 3M’s expertise in microreplication, which the company has applied in a diverse range of products, including transdermal delivery systems, abrasives, brightness films, reflective highway signs and golf gloves. To create this new innovation, 3M Drug Delivery Systems capitalized on the knowledge of the larger 3M scientific community and the company’s core technology platforms of microreplication and micromolding. 3M’s recent breakthroughs in the tools and molding techniques used in these processes will continue providing the next generation of pharmaceutical and biotech solutions.

For more information, visit 3m.com/microchannel.

About 3M Drug Delivery Systems
3M Drug Delivery Systems partners with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to develop pharmaceuticals using 3M’s inhalation or transdermal drug delivery technology. 3M offers a full range of feasibility, development and manufacturing capabilities combined with regulatory guidance to help bring products to market. In-house resources, including toxicology, regulatory expertise, quality assurance, operations, and marketed product support, are available for each step of the development and commercialization process. This depth of resources is one reason why more than 50 percent of all metered-dose inhalers worldwide and 80 percent of all transdermal systems in the United States utilize 3M drug delivery technology. For more information, please visit www.3M.com/dds or call 1-800-643-8086.

About 3M
3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $27 billion in sales, 3M employs about 80,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.

3M is a trademark of 3M Company.

Karwoski & CourageMichael Gugala, 612-342-9604m.gugala@creativepr.comor3M Public Relations and Corporate CommunicationsMary Kokkinen, 651-733-8806mckokkinen@mmm.com