PharmaTher Advances Microneedle Patch Platform for Therapeutic Peptides in the U.S. Market
Published: 10 Mar 2026
Author: Precedence Research
In March 2026, Toronto-based PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. announced it was expanding its PharmaPatch™ microneedle transdermal system to deliver therapeutic peptides in the United States. The platform features hydrogel-forming microneedle arrays that penetrate the skin’s outer layer, enabling controlled, sustained drug delivery into the bloodstream. This technology offers significant benefits over conventional oral and patch methods, including avoiding first-pass liver metabolism, enhancing drug absorption, allowing precise micro-dosing, and improving patient adherence.
PharmaTher intends to test multiple peptide candidates, such as BPC-157, GHK-Cu, TB-500, and KPV peptides, targeting applications in tissue repair, skin regeneration, and inflammation management. The initiative builds on the company’s earlier research programs, which included ketamine microneedle patches, psychedelic compound delivery, and GLP-1 peptide studies for obesity, all conducted under preclinical and GLP-compliant conditions. Key collaborations with academic institutions, including Queen’s University Belfast and the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, have supported the development of optimized microneedle designs, hydrogel formulations, and enhanced skin permeability.
Although the Pharma patch micro needle platform has not yet received formal approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), PharmaTher is actually aligning the programme with all regulatory requirements to support future submissions. In the U.S., microneedle drug delivery systems require Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance before clinical trials, followed by phase I and phase III studies to demonstrate safety and efficacy. Regulatory scrutiny focuses on both device safety and drug performance, including biocompatibility and skin irritation. PharmaTher plans to initiate preclinical toxicology and pharmaceutical studies, then first-in-human trials, pending IND authorization, a crucial step toward phase 1 evaluation. Pharma here structured pathway positions in the pharma patch system for eventual market access, demonstrating the potential to bring advanced micro needle-based therapeutics, including peptides and biologics, to patients with greater convenience, safety and efficacy
According to Precedence Research, the transdermal drug delivery systems market size accounted for USD 78.20 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 87.46 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 239.43 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 11.84% from 2026 to 2035 as demand grows for safety, efficacy, targeted drug delivery, and reliable drug delivery systems.
With the regulatory pathways in mind, PharmaTher is paving the way for next-generation Transdermal therapeutics.
The PharmaPatch™ expansion reflects a wider shift in transdermal drug delivery toward administering biologics, peptides, vaccines, and other large molecules that conventional patches cannot effectively deliver. With the therapeutic peptide market, microneedle-enabled patches like PharmaPatch™ could play a major role in making advanced therapies more accessible while enhancing patient convenience and treatment outcomes.