Description:
This ultraflexible liposome gel delivers lidocaine through the skin to provide deeper and longer-lasting local anesthesia without injections. By combining highly deformable vesicles with a stable gel matrix, the system enhances transdermal penetration, supports sustained release, and improves patient comfort. It offers a needle-free approach that outperforms conventional topical anesthetics in both depth of action and duration.
Background:
Topical anesthetic creams often fail to reach deeper skin layers, resulting in inadequate pain control and forcing clinicians to rely on painful injections. Conventional liposome or ethosome systems suffer from limited penetration (<100 µm), instability, and inconsistent effects, highlighting the need for a noninvasive, stable, and long-lasting anesthetic delivery method.
Technology Overview:
This invention integrates ultraflexible soy phosphatidylcholine–sodium cholate liposomes (UFLs) into a carbomer-based gel to enhance transdermal lidocaine delivery. The UFLs exhibit over 80 percent deformability compared to standard liposomes, enabling efficient traversal of the stratum corneum and dermal penetration exceeding 300 µm in in vitro skin models. The bioadhesive gel stabilizes vesicles for over 90 days and provides sustained lidocaine release for up to 8 hours. Together, these features produce a noninvasive anesthetic system that achieves deep, prolonged, and uniform pain relief with improved stability and patient safety.
Advantages:
• Achieves up to 3× deeper skin penetration than commercial lidocaine creams
• Provides up to 2× longer anesthetic duration (6 to 8 hours) through sustained lidocaine release
• Eliminates injection-related pain and anxiety for patients
• Demonstrates >90 day formulation stability at ambient temperature
• Reduces systemic exposure and side effects through localized delivery
• Maintains vesicle deformability above 80 percent for consistent transdermal transport
• Compatible with regulatory pathways for topical anesthetics, reducing development risk
• Adaptable platform for multiple transdermal therapeutic applications
Applications:
• Topical anesthesia for dermatological and cosmetic procedures
• Needle-free dental anesthesia for pain-free dental care
• Chronic pain management using transdermal delivery of analgesics or anti-inflammatories
• Advanced wound care and antibiotic delivery systems
• General transdermal drug delivery platform for noninvasive therapies
Intellectual Property Summary:
• United States 63/299158 Provisional Filed 01/13/2022 Converted
• International (PCT) PCT/US23/60596 Filed 01/12/2023 WO/2023/137405 Nationalized
• Europe EP23740853.9 EP4463139 Filed 07/24/2024 Status Filed
• Australia AU2023206367 Filed 08/02/2024 Status Filed
• United States 18/835345 Utility Filed 08/01/2024 Publication No. 2025-0134811 Status Filed
Stage of Development:
Prototype Preclinical evaluation in progress; further testing required for regulatory submission under topical 505(b)(2) pathway (U.S. FDA).
Licensing Status:
This technology is available for licensing.
Licensing Potential:
Suitable for pharmaceutical, dermatology, dental, and transdermal delivery companies seeking improved topical anesthesia solutions and adaptable vesicle-based delivery platforms.
Additional Information:
Information available upon request.
Inventors:
Anthony Di Pasqua, Mengwei Sun