Encapsulated bacteria show promise as injectable living drugs factories to treat diseases
Engineered E. coli produce insulin and vaccines in vivo
Engineered bacteria have been injected under the skin of rodents where they functioned as living drug or vaccine factories. The approach, which used modified Escherichia coli trapped inside hydrogel microcapsules, holds promise for new therapies to treat diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
Microbes have been modified for decades to produce protein drugs, including insulin. However, because proteins are easily degraded and inactivated, it has been difficult to develop protein drug delivery methods that allow for their sustained release beneath the skin without repeated and regular injections.