Rinn Pharma and ArrayPatch team up on intradermal therapy

Rinn Pharma & Biopharma and ArrayPatch have launched an Irish collaboration to advance a dissolvable microneedle treatment for skin cancer toward preclinical testing and streamlined Phase 1/3 trials. The work could expand targeted drug delivery while reducing the side effects and dosing burdens tied to creams and oral medicines.

Why it matters: - The collaboration targets a long-standing delivery problem in dermatology: getting treatment through the skin effectively without relying on higher-dose oral drugs or creams that can underperform. - DerMap V, the lead program in the partnership, is designed to deliver medicine locally and could improve effectiveness while limiting side effects. - The project also strengthens Ireland’s biotech and intradermal drug delivery ecosystem, linking university research, public innovation funding and company-led development.

What happened: - Rinn Pharma & Biopharma announced a new collaboration with ArrayPatch Ltd. on July 28, 2026. - The project will develop a novel skin cancer treatment using ArrayPatch’s patented dissolvable microneedle platform, DerMap. - The work is being led by ArrayPatch founder Dr Waleed Faisal and UCC Professor Abina Crean. - The team aims to move the prototype through preclinical studies and into streamlined Phase 1/3 clinical trials.

The details: - ArrayPatch is a biotech spin-out from SSPC Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceuticals research at University College Cork. - Enterprise Ireland funding and commercialisation programmes supported ArrayPatch’s development. - The DerMap platform uses tiny microneedles to create painless pathways that enable targeted drug delivery at the disease site. - DerMap V is being advanced for skin cancer and is part of a broader pipeline that includes metabolic disorders, weight loss and nail fungal infections. - ArrayPatch recently expanded its platform through the acquisition of Vitropep’s peptide delivery intellectual property and expertise. - The company says the acquisition strengthens its position in the peptide therapeutics market and complements its DerMap® dissolving, polymer-free microneedle technology. - The microneedle platform is designed for high drug loading and scalable manufacturing.

Between the lines: - The partnership signals a shift from academic proof-of-concept toward clinical and commercial readiness. - Dr Waleed Faisal said the collaboration should help ArrayPatch rigorously characterize the technology and accelerate clinical evaluation. - Dr Siobhan Roche said Irish research centres help start-ups and SMEs access expertise, infrastructure and collaborative networks that can de-risk innovation. - Professor Abina Crean said the collaboration shows growing confidence in the technology’s scientific robustness and translational potential. - Prof. Damien Thompson said the partnership reflects Rinn Pharma & Biopharma’s mission to translate innovative research into real-world impact.

What's next: - ArrayPatch and Rinn Pharma & Biopharma will continue preclinical development of DerMap V. - The next milestone is supporting progression into clinical trials to confirm safety and effectiveness. - The broader platform will likely continue expanding across additional therapeutic areas as the company builds on its peptide and microneedle capabilities.

The bottom line: - The collaboration gives ArrayPatch and Rinn Pharma & Biopharma a clearer path from Irish research to a potentially more precise skin-delivery therapy.