Jagged little pill: The breakthrough that could spell the end for needles

A spike-studded capsule could provide an alternative to administering drugs by needles. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a pill-like capsule that injects medication into the stomach lining after being swallowed. It eliminates the need for injections and could be more effective than regular pills. It could also allow doctors to deliver pill forms of drugs that cannot currently be taken orally due to the effects of stomach acid.

Previous studies of accidental ingestion of sharp objects in human patients have suggested that it could be safe to swallow a capsule coated with short needles.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology report

A report in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences found that it delivered insulin more effectively than an injection in tests on pigs. The capsule measures a centimetre in diameter and is 2cm long. It can be filled with a variety of different drugs. The stainless steel needles are 5mm long and are only revealed after the pH-sensitive coating dissolves in the digestive tract.

Because there are no pain receptors in the GI tract, patients would not feel any pain from the drug injection.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology report

Health spike-studded pill