Can One Small Shot Last a Year? MIT Thinks So

A preclinical MIT injection draws growing attention from drugmakers

19 Nov 2025

MIT researchers have devised a long-acting injectable that releases medicine for months, perhaps a year, from a single small jab. Still in preclinical testing and far from human trials, the platform has nonetheless stirred curiosity among drugmakers eager to stretch dosing intervals and trim clinic visits.

The idea is modest but promising. A tiny depot forms under the skin and leaks its payload at a steady pace. Early studies found it remained mostly intact after three months, hinting that far longer gaps between doses may be possible. Unlike some existing long-acting products, the formulation skips the thick polymers that make injections painful and hard to deliver.

The timing helps. Firms have been hunting for simpler ways to reach patients with fewer appointments, and long-acting formulations now feature on many strategic plans. Catalent and Johnson & Johnson have spoken broadly about their interest in extended release technologies, though no formal ties link them to this MIT effort. Even so, the platform’s apparent flexibility has been enough to draw informal outreach. One analyst said a small shot that lasts many months offers both scientific novelty and commercial potential if it scales.

The social case is clear. Longer lasting injections could ease pressure on clinics, cut costs and expand access in rural or resource poor regions. For people managing chronic or preventive treatments, fewer trips and steadier dosing may bring welcome relief. A member of the MIT team said the aim is to make sustained treatment easier for those who need it most.

Yet the hurdles are familiar: human trials, regulatory scrutiny and the fine art of making complex systems at industrial scale. Even so, experts reckon the early data add momentum to a trend already reshaping pipelines. If the technology clears later tests, it may open a new chapter in drug delivery that is quieter, steadier and far more convenient.