The project’s goals include the improvement of treatment effectiveness while minimising side effects by using microneedles to deliver drugs more precisely.

A new collaboration between Research Ireland’s Rinn Pharma & Biopharma (RP&B) and Cork-based biotech spin-out ArrayPatch will focus on developing a novel skin cancer treatment using a patented dissolvable microneedle platform.

‘DerMap-V’ aims to deliver therapeutic agents directly to target tissues in a painless and efficient manner, according to its makers, and is currently being advanced across a growing pipeline – including applications in metabolic disorders, weight loss and nail fungal infections.

The collaboration between RP&B and ArrayPatch will be hosted at University College Cork (UCC) and led by Prof Abina Crean and ArrayPatch founder Dr Waleed Faisal. Its goals include the improvement of treatment effectiveness while minimising side effects by using microneedles to deliver drugs more precisely.

“This collaboration reflects growing confidence in the scientific robustness and translational potential of the technology, and provides access to world-class expertise in pharmaceutical characterisation, preclinical development and clinical readiness,” said Crean.

RP&B, based at the University of Limerick, is part of Research Ireland’s new Rinn network of centres dedicated to seven key research areas. The Irish Government will invest €460m in this network over the next eight years, with the RP&B centre set to receive around €60m.

It is described as a “transdisciplinary research centre focused on two key challenges in drug development”, namely creating patient-centred medicines for diverse populations and embedding sustainability across all stages of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.

RP&B said it aims to “build the scientific foundation, talent pipeline and collaborative community needed to address these challenges”.

Prof Damien Thompson, scientific director of RP&B, said: “Supporting the translation of innovative research into real-world impact is central to Rinn Pharma & Biopharma’s mission.

“Our partnership with ArrayPatch and UCC highlights how collaboration between academic researchers and emerging Irish biotech companies can accelerate the development of novel therapies with the potential to improve patient outcomes.”

ArrayPatch is a spin-out from UCC that develops next-generation microneedle-based therapeutics and was shortlisted as a national finalist for the 2026 KPMG Global Tech Innovator competition earlier this month.

It also recently expanded its platform through the acquisition of peptide delivery IP and expertise from Vitropep.

“DerMap V has the potential to address a long-standing unmet need in dermatology by enabling targeted, localised drug delivery directly into the skin,” said Faisal.

“Working with Rinn Pharma & Biopharma allows us to rigorously characterise the technology and accelerate its progression towards clinical evaluation.”

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