In the last two decades, microneedles (MNs) have received significant interest due to their potential for painless transdermal drug delivery (TDD) and minimal skin damage. MNs have found applications in a range of research and development areas in drug delivery. They have been prepared using a variety of materials and fabrication techniques resulting in MN arrays with different dimensions, shapes, and geometries for delivery of a variety of drug molecules. These parameters play crucial roles in determining the drug release profiles from the MNs. Developing mathematical modelling, simulation, and optimisation techniques is vital to achieving the desired MN performances. These will then be helpful for pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries as well as professionals working in the field of regulatory affairs focusing on MN based TDD systems. This is because modelling has a great potential to reduce the financial and time cost of both the MNs’ studies and manufacturing. For example, a number of robust mathematical models for predicting the performance of the MNs in vivo have emerged recently which incorporate the roles of the structural and mechanical properties of the skin. In addressing these points, this review paper aims to highlight the current status of the MN modelling research, in particular, the modelling, simulation and optimisation of the systems for drug delivery. The theoretical basis for the simulation of MN enhanced diffusion is discussed within this paper. Thus, this review paper provides a better understanding of the modelling of the MN mediated drug delivery process.

中文翻译：

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透皮药物递送微针的数学建模，模拟和优化：趋势和进展。

在过去的二十年中，微针（MNs）由于其无痛经皮药物输送（TDD）的潜力和最小的皮肤损伤而受到广泛关注。MN已在药物输送的一系列研发领域中找到了应用。它们已使用多种材料和制造技术进行了制备，从而形成了具有不同尺寸，形状和几何形状的MN阵列，可用于输送多种药物分子。这些参数在确定MN的药物释放曲线中起着至关重要的作用。开发数学建模，仿真和优化技术对于实现所需的MN性能至关重要。这些将对制药和生物技术行业以及专注于基于MN的TDD系统的监管事务领域的专业人员有所帮助。这是因为建模具有巨大的潜力，可以减少MN研究和制造的财务和时间成本。例如，近来已经出现了许多用于预测MN的体内性能的鲁棒数学模型，其结合了皮肤的结构和机械特性的作用。在解决这些问题时，本文将重点介绍MN建模研究的当前状态，尤其是药物输送系统的建模，仿真和优化。本文讨论了模拟MN增强扩散的理论基础。因此，这篇综述文章提供了对MN介导的药物递送过程建模的更好理解。