Researchers created microneedle patches loaded with fucoidan (a seaweed extract) that can penetrate skin and deliver antibacterial compounds directly to infected wound tissue. In mouse studies, these patches successfully targeted drug-resistant MRSA bacteria hiding inside cells, reduced inflammation, and promoted wound healing—addressing three major problems that make infected wounds hard to treat.

Scientists designed tiny needles coated with fucoidan-loaded nanoparticles and tested them on mice with MRSA-infected wounds. They used lab tests and live animal models to measure whether the patches could deliver the active ingredients deep into skin layers and kill bacteria.

Funding not disclosed in abstract