Following the example of hookworm

A new "parasite" device for drug delivery clings to the intestinal walls

Tatiana Matveeva, "Scientific Russia"

Bioengineers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (USA) have developed star-shaped micro-devices capable of attaching to the intestinal mucosa, like parasitic worms that dig their sharp teeth into the intestines of the host, and release medicine into the body, the press service of the university reports. The development is described in detail in the journal Science Advances (Ghosh et al., Gastrointestinal-resident, shape-changing microdevices extend drug release in vivo).

The new device, called "Theragripper", is made of metal and a thin shape-changing film and is coated with heat-sensitive paraffin. The device – the size of just a speck of dust (the black dots on the cotton swab in the photo below are the same devices) – can deliver any medicine into the body and gradually release it. The "teragripper" changes its shape and attaches to the walls of the host's intestine in the same way as the parasitic hookworm.

Thousands of such micro-devices can travel simultaneously in the gastrointestinal tract. When the paraffin wax on the grips reaches the temperature inside the body, the devices automatically close and clamp on the wall of the colon. The closing action causes the tiny six-pointed devices to dig into the mucous membrane and remain attached to the colon, where they are held and gradually release medicinal substances into the body. Eventually, the devices lose control of the tissues and are removed from the intestine due to the normal muscle function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru