Canadian researchers develop magnetic implant for drug delivery

The device, a silicone sponge with magnetic carbonyl iron particles wrapped in a round polymer layer, measures 6mm in diameter

A magnetic drug implant that could offer an alternative for patients struggling with numerous pills or intravenous injections, has been developed by University of British Columbia researchers.

The device, a silicone sponge with magnetic carbonyl iron particles wrapped in a round polymer layer, measures 6mm in diameter. The drug is injected into the device and then surgically implanted in the area being treated. Passing a magnet over the patient’s skin activates the device by deforming the sponge and triggering the release of the drug into surrounding tissue through a tiny opening.

The researchers tested their device on animal tissue in the lab using the prostate cancer drug docetaxel. They found that it was able to deliver the drug on demand even after repeated use. The drug also produced an effect on cancer cells comparable to that of freshly administered docetaxel, proving that drugs stored in the device stay effective.

Ali Shademani, study author and a PhD student in biomedical engineering at UBC, said “Drug implants can be safe and effective for treating many conditions, and magnetically controlled implants are particularly interesting because you can adjust the dose after implantation by using different magnet strengths. Many other implants lack that feature.”  

Mu Chiao, a professor of mechanical engineering at UBC, said the team is working on refining the device and narrowing down the conditions for its use. “This could one day be used for administering painkillers, hormones, chemotherapy drugs and other treatments for a wide range of health conditions. In the next few years we hope to be able to test it for long-term use and for viability in living models,” said Chiao.

The Active regulation of on-demand drug delivery by magnetically triggerable microspouters research was published online in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.