Research Ireland's Rinn Pharma & BioPharma (RP&B) has partnered with Cork-based biotech company ArrayPatch to develop a novel microneedle-based treatment for skin cancer, advancing research into targeted drug delivery technologies.

Reported by Silicon Republic, the collaboration will be hosted at University College Cork (UCC) and brings together academic researchers and industry specialists to accelerate the development of a dissolvable microneedle platform designed to deliver medicines directly to affected tissue.

The project, known as DerMap-V, aims to improve treatment effectiveness while reducing side effects by enabling more precise and localised drug delivery. The platform uses patented dissolvable microneedles to administer therapeutic agents in a minimally invasive manner and is also being explored for applications in metabolic disorders, weight management and fungal nail infections.

The research programme will be led by Professor Abina Crean of UCC and Dr Waleed Faisal, founder of ArrayPatch, with the collaboration focusing on pharmaceutical characterisation, preclinical development and preparations for future clinical evaluation.

Professor Crean said the partnership reflects growing confidence in the technology's scientific and translational potential while providing access to specialist expertise required to progress the platform towards clinical readiness.

Rinn Pharma & BioPharma, based at the University of Limerick, forms part of Research Ireland's national Rinn network of research centres, which is supported by €460 million in government investment over the next eight years. Approximately €60 million has been allocated to the RP&B centre to advance research into patient-centred medicines and more sustainable pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.

Professor Damien Thompson, Scientific Director of RP&B, said supporting the translation of innovative research into practical healthcare solutions remains central to the centre's mission, adding that collaboration between academic researchers and emerging Irish biotechnology companies can accelerate the development of new therapies.

ArrayPatch, a University College Cork spin-out specialising in microneedle drug delivery technologies, continues to expand its research pipeline following recent developments in peptide delivery and recognition as a finalist in the 2026 KPMG Global Tech Innovator competition.

The collaboration further strengthens Ireland's pharmaceutical research ecosystem by combining academic expertise, biotechnology innovation and translational medicine to advance new approaches to treating skin cancer and other conditions through precision drug delivery.