Developing a Microneedle Waveguiding Device for Precision Phototherapy in Psoriasis

Although NB-UVB and PUVA phototherapy for moderate to severe psoriasis are widely used in clinical practice, there are biological and cost barriers to effective treatment with conventional light therapy devices. A recent study found that costs for a NNT to achieve a 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score for NB-UVB and PUVA ranged from $2,927.73-8,834.98 compared to $794-1,843.55 for pharmacologic therapies such as methotrexate and cyclosporine.1 Furthermore, existing phototherapy lamps and whole-body chambers are not widely available and their prolonged use leads to UV exposure in areas of unaffected skin.2,3,4 The Rogers Lab has developed a soft, flexible, and depth-modulated polymer microneedle device in response to the need for increased convenience, lower costs, and greater precision in psoriasis phototherapy. Although this unit has been optimized for a clinical trial in morphea patients, we are designing more prototypes for additional use in phototherapy for psoriasis patients. The purpose of this study is to test new precision phototherapy prototypes that feature expanded spectrum UVA and NB-UVB optimized light emitting diode (LED) arrays with optical parameters customized for both psoralen-UVA photochemotherapy and direct UVB light delivery to psoriatic lesions.