Rice lab’s tech could deliver time-released drugs, vaccines for months Bioengineers from Rice University have developed…

Rice lab’s tech could deliver time-released drugs, vaccines for months

Bioengineers from Rice University have developed a technology to make time-released drugs, offering a solution to a huge problem in the treatment of chronic diseases, namely missed or incorrectly taken doses. The cylinders, made of a polymer called PLGA, can be loaded with drugs using four different methods to ensure a steady and more effective delivery of the medicine. Scientists have also come up with a way of sealing the cylinders, making the technology scalable and capable of long-term release. The team's motivation for the technology came from vaccination, where multiple doses spread out over the course of months are often required. However, testing has shown that these cylinders can release medicine for months after injection, making it a possible solution for the treatment of chronic diseases.