Scientists at a US research firm have used platinum in new microchip technology designed to aid drug delivery.

Platinum membranes were used in the device, which is implanted into a patient and controls the release of drugs in the body over an extended time period.

The chips, developed by MicroCHIPS, are the size of a postage stamp and contain 100 mini-reservoirs.

"We filled the reservoirs with a model polypeptide drug known to be poorly absorbed when taken orally. Each reservoir was capped with an electrically-erodable membrane made of platinum and titanium," explained James Prescott, director of analytical chemistry at MicroCHIPS.

"This research is an important step toward development of novel drug delivery systems in which small devices filled with potent, therapeutic drugs are used to release medicines into the body as needed," said John Santini, president of the company.

The device is not expected to replace other forms of drug delivery such as pills, but will be targeted at powerful drugs that have limited stability and must be delivered in precise doses at specific times.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd