Engineers at MIT create 3D-printed implant for diabetic individuals, delivering medication beneath the skin - device can be wirelessly triggered to liquefy an alloy, releasing powdered glucagon
In a groundbreaking development, a team of engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), led by Siddharth Krishnan, are pushing the boundaries of medical technology with their 3D-printed medicine technology. This innovation aims to revolutionise diabetes management by offering an implantable chip that can deliver critical doses of glucagon automatically.
The chip, currently undergoing trials on mice, is designed to hold powdered glucagon inside a 3D-printed reservoir. This reservoir is sealed using a nickel-titanium alloy, which can be programmed to heat and bend when wirelessly triggered, releasing the life-saving medication.
The team has successfully tested the chip, using up to four doses of glucagon during a four-week test process. Their ultimate goal is to increase the duration of the chip to as much as a year, potentially making this technology a game-changer for diabetic patients worldwide.
The project, however, is not yet available for use outside of trials. But for those interested in staying updated on the latest advancements in this field, Tom's Hardware news and reviews can be found in Google News feeds, or you can subscribe to their newsletter.
The success of this technology underscores the importance of 3D printers capable of delivering ultra-high precision, biocompatibility, and the ability to print complex, intricate microstructures. High-resolution and fine detail, the capability to print with biocompatible materials, multi-material printing, and regulatory alignment or potential for clinical use are key requirements for such printers.
Three leading and suitable 3D printers for producing medicine-delivery devices and subdermal implants like the MIT-developed diabetes chip are the Stratasys Objet30 (and higher-end Stratasys models like J750), two-photon polymerization (2PP) systems (e.g., Nanoscribe), and Ricoh’s FDA-cleared 3D Printing for Healthcare.
The Stratasys Objet30 and J750 are among the best commercially available printers for medical implants with fine multi-material printing. Two-photon polymerization printers offer the necessary ultra-fine resolution for micro-scale implant manufacturing, while Ricoh’s FDA-approved medical 3D printing platform is notable for integrating 3D printing into clinical workflows, potentially scalable for medical device production.
As the field of 3D-printed medicine continues to evolve, the combination of high precision resin or polymer printing (Stratasys types or two-photon polymerization) plus integration with biocompatible materials and microfabrication capability is essential for any setup aiming to replicate or innovate on MIT’s subdermal medical devices.
With the potential use cases for this technology including helping diabetic patients receive critical doses of medicine automatically, the future of diabetes management looks promising. The team plans to extend trials to human clinical trials in a few years, bringing us one step closer to a world where such innovative solutions become a reality.
In the realms of health-and-wellness, this advancement in science signifies a critical step towards the integration of 3D-printed technology in the realm of nutrition. The Stratasys Objet30, with its multi-material printing capabilities, could potentially contribute to the production of these medical-implant devices.
Moreover, the success of the MIT-developed diabetes chip underscores the importance of nutrition in managing health conditions, such as diabetes, and the role of science and technology in making life-saving treatments more accessible.
