In dermatology and inflammatory skin diseases, many disease-driving processes occur locally within the skin. Gaining insight into these processes requires access to biological information at the site of disease activity. However, clinical research still relies largely on systemic samples or invasive tissue biopsies. Blood sampling often fails to reflect localized skin biology, while biopsies impose a significant procedural burden and limit repeat or longitudinal sampling in clinical studies. As a result, access to local biological information is often limited by practical constraints in study design, leaving important biological insight underexplored.
Dermal interstitial fluid is a distinct biological compartment within the dermis, surrounding skin cells and reflecting ongoing molecular and immunological activity in the local skin microenvironment. Despite its relevance, this compartment has historically been difficult to access.
Imcomet develops a microneedle-based technology designed to enable minimally invasive access to dermal interstitial fluid. By reducing the procedural burden associated with traditional sampling methods, the technology provides a practical way to study soluble skin biomarkers at the site of disease activity. This approach supports mechanistic insight and enables more clinically feasible translational research, particularly in studies that require localized and repeat sampling.
