Scientists Create 'Living Pharmacy' Implant That Doses 3 Drugs at Once

The future of medicine just might involve so-called living pharmacies made out of engineered cells implanted directly into the body. Research out today showcases how these wireless devices can be programmed to produce and deliver multiple drugs at once. Scientists at Northwestern University and others developed the implant, called the hybrid oxygenation bioelectronics system for implanted therapy, or HOBIT for short. In tests with rats, the device provided reliable amounts of three drugs at the same time, including a GLP-1 medication. What’s more, they showed it was possible to keep a majority of these engineered cells alive for at least a month inside the body, thanks to a self-sustaining source of oxygen. “This technology has the potential to serve as a platform for cell therapy, allowing clinically relevant doses with minimally invasive implants,” the researchers wrote in their paper, published Friday in the journal Device. Perhaps the largest hurdle to any medication use is adherence. For many reasons, people often find it hard to take their meds as prescribed. It’s a problem that’s only compounded for those with chronic health conditions, especially if they have to take multip