By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    stress disorder
    5 Ways To Manage Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    October 27, 2021
    Medical device classification and development strategies
    Medical device classification and development strategies
    April 5, 2023
    varicose veins
    Varicose Veins Prevention: 3 Lifestyle Changes to Make Right Now
    May 1, 2022
    Latest News
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Florida Board of Medicine Declares Arizona Homeopathic Doctor “Very, Very Dangerous”
    October 29, 2018
    6 Ways to Make Sure You’re Detoxing Properly
    July 26, 2018
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Implantable Drug Delivery Systems: Delivering Medication One Dose at a Time
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Technology > Medical Devices > Implantable Drug Delivery Systems: Delivering Medication One Dose at a Time
Medical DevicesMedical InnovationsNews

Implantable Drug Delivery Systems: Delivering Medication One Dose at a Time

Nishita Pereira-Gracias
Nishita Pereira-Gracias
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Controlled, site-specific release of drugs and other therapeutic agents has emerged as a rather attractive alternative for companies that are looking to boost the efficacy of an existing product.Thebigger winner, however, is the patient.

A significant advantage that implantable drug delivery systems render via targeted therapies is fewer side effects. An increased number of medications today have severe side effects because the drug interacts with other parts of the body when administered– parts that are not the intended targeted of the drug.

Controlled, site-specific release of drugs and other therapeutic agents has emerged as a rather attractive alternative for companies that are looking to boost the efficacy of an existing product.Thebigger winner, however, is the patient.

A significant advantage that implantable drug delivery systems render via targeted therapies is fewer side effects. An increased number of medications today have severe side effects because the drug interacts with other parts of the body when administered– parts that are not the intended targeted of the drug.

More Read

Health 2.0 – Focus on High Quality, Low Cost & Connectivity
Compatability Matters: NaviGo Health Puts Online Dating-Style Twist On Physician Searching
Daniel Kraft: Health Media for the Future
What Has the Medical Industry Learned from COVID-19?
Hospitals Can’t Afford to Give Away Money So Why are Preventable Adverse Events Still Occurring?

Another benefit of implantable drug delivery systems is improving medication-prescription adherence. Patients often fail to follow prescriptions, which has an adverse impact not only on personal health but also on healthcare costs. According to a 2012 report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, failure to follow prescriptions amounts to nearly US$300 billion in healthcare costs and approximately 125,000 deaths annually.

Ongoing research in the field of targeted drug delivery has made major progress in terms of implantable devices. Here’s a look at three recent developments that could help in treating chronic diseases in the near future.

Remote-Controlled Drug Delivery

The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louisare building upon a previous experiment where targeted brain cells are activated with the helpof flashes of light. Researchers at these institutes have developed a device that promises to offer enhanced targeted treatments and minimal side effects. The width of a human hair, this device can be implanted in the brain to deliver drugs only in areas where they are needed.

The research team has designed the device to be soft like brain tissue to avoid neural damage and inflammation. Featuring microscale pumps and microfluid channels, the device also has four separate chambers that can carry drugs directly to the brain. In addition, the chambers will help carry inorganic light-emitting diode arrays that will shine light on targeted brain cells. The researchers say that the device is also designed to be triggered remotely using infrared technology.

With the push of a button, the implanted device could one day deliver therapies to treat depression, pain, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders.

Microchip-based Device to Replace Pills and Injections

An MIT spinoff company, Microchips Biotech has developed an implantable microchip that can house large doses of medication to be delivered automatically in order to treat specific diseases such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and multiple sclerosis. The microchip is made up of hundreds of tiny reservoirs that hold small doses of chemicals or therapeutics. Single doses of medication are released from metal membrane caps with an electric current delivered by the device, and the implantable microchip can be wirelessly programmed to release individual doses for up to 16 years.

Invented by Michael Cima and Robert Langer, both co-founders of Microchips Biotech and professors at David H. Koch Institute, the implantable, microchip-based, wirelessly controlled device was commercialized in June this year via a partnership with Teva Pharmaceutical. Even though the final design may need to get regulatory approval, it won’t be long before the device hits the shelves.

Game-Changing Drug Delivery Technology for Diabetics

In a head-to-head clinical trial, Intarcia Therapeutics’ matchstick-size implantable drug-delivery pump has just surpassed Januvia, the top-selling drug from Merck, in helping diabetic patients control blood sugar.

Loaded with a year’s supply of diabetes drug exenatide, the ITCA 650 is sub-dermally inserted into abdominal tissue where it continuously delivers the medication in small quantities. Designed to overcome the challenges of helping people stay on chronic medication, the tiny titanium device keeps levels of the drug stable in the body.

Exenatide presently needs to be injected into a diabetes patient once every week or twice daily. However, with the ITCA 650, the drug can be delivered at regular intervals for up to 12 months after a single 5-minute procedure at the doctor’s office. This once-a-year treatment holds immense potential in the booming diabetes market.

As more and more therapies are highlighting the importance of implantable devices for treatment, the incorporation of drug delivery into these devices brings with it numerous benefits over parenteral or oral dosage forms.

 

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025
a woman giving a key
How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
Health
July 16, 2025
a woman with kinesio tapes on her back arm
How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

5 of the Coolest Healthcare Tech Initiatives of the Past Five Years

March 21, 2014
innovation in healthcare
BusinessMedical Innovations

Innovation: An End-to-End Proposition

January 4, 2014
sleep positions
News

Do Sleep Positions Affect Your Health?

August 19, 2021
emerging technology in healthcare
News

Benefits of Emerging Technology in Healthcare in 2023

February 9, 2023
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?