How to deliver medication reliably, well into the colon, to treat gastrointestinal disease most effectively? Purdue University researchers have developed an electronic drug capsule that delivers medication far into the digestive system. When triggered by the magnetic switch or electronic implant, it ‘detonates’ the capsule, releasing the medication. This delivery mechanism was tested through the stomach and into 20 feet of the small intestine. The promise is that it can deliver targeted medications farther into the colon, cost-effectively, to better treat IBS, Crohn’s and bacterial infections. The Purdue team is currently partnering with a biomedical company to take this into clinical trials. This takes the idea of Proteus’ ingested sensor to track medication one step further. Smart capsule to target colon diseases (Reuters)