A novel device that uses engineered cells to produce multiple therapies inside the body at once shows promise in animal models. A multi-institutional team of scientists, co-led by Northwestern University (Il, USA), Rice University (TX, USA) and Carnegie Mellon University (PA, USA), has created a fully implantable, subcutaneous device that produces local oxygen and is capable of housing a high density of biologic-producing cells – aka a ‘living pharmacy’. The team engineered the platform to produce three different medicines inside the body and hopes that, one day, it could be expanded to target a variety of diseases and cell types with a single, long-lasting therapy. Biologics have shown promise in the treatment of numerous diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, autoimmune syndromes, and diabetes. Advances in cell therapy have resulted in biologic producing cells that can be implanted in vivo, facilitating a move for biologic production from the factory to inside patients, providing sustained delivery of therapeutics that lasts for years and bypasses the need for repeat injections. To maximize the efficiency of these tiny cellular factories, researchers are looking to miniaturize and compact the cells into a single device; however, they face a stubborn barrier in the form of oxygen availability. While the subcutaneous space presents a convenient location for implantation, oxygen is limited, meaning engineered cells must compete for the meager supply, and many die. This restricts how much medicine the system can produce and, therefore, hinders the success of cell therapies. First-of-its-kind implant could transform tissue loss treatment…
