Microneedle-mediated delivery of probiotics for local treatment of bacterial vaginosis

Ilsanne van Noorden – Msc exchange student, Uppsala University; Juan Du – Associate Professor, Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology (MTC), Karolinska Institute; Alexandra Teleki – Professor, Pharmacy, Uppsala University

Introduction:

The vaginal microbiome is typically dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus, which helps maintain an acidic environment and protects against infection. Disruption of this balance leads to bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition characterized by high recurrence rates due to biofilm persistence, antimicrobial resistance, and poor recolonization following antibiotic treatment (1). Probiotic supplementation with L. crispatus, enhanced by oleic acid (OA) and delivered via dissolvable microneedles for targeted penetration of the mucosal barrier and bacterial biofilm, offers a promising alternative therapy (Fig.1a) (2)(3).