Drug Delivery Without a Cut? Caltech’s Ultrasound Fix

Ultrasound-triggered implants may reduce need for surgery and reshape future of targeted therapy

15 May 2025

A new drug-delivery method is taking shape without the need for scalpels or stitches. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have developed a way to create drug-releasing implants inside the body using focused ultrasound. No surgery is required.

The process relies on a specially formulated “bioink,” a liquid that solidifies into a soft, biocompatible structure when exposed to ultrasound waves. Injected into a specific area, such as a tumour or an internal organ, the liquid is then remotely turned into an implant that slowly releases medication. “This technology lets us treat sites we’ve never been able to reach non-invasively,” says Wei Gao, the study’s senior author.

Such in situ fabrication offers several advantages. Treatment becomes faster, more targeted and far less invasive. It could also expand care options for mobile or difficult-to-access organs, like the lungs or bladder, which pose challenges for conventional surgery.

The implications stretch beyond patient care. By removing the need for operating theatres and reducing recovery time, the method could support a shift toward outpatient procedures and decentralised medicine. Manufacturing implants directly at the point of care may also lower costs and delays linked to large-scale drug production.

Regulators, however, may struggle to keep pace. The technology sits awkwardly between drug and device categories, raising questions about oversight and approval. Long-term biocompatibility must also be proven. Insurers, meanwhile, will need to adjust to reimbursement models that may not fit traditional frameworks.

Still, the momentum seems difficult to resist. As health systems seek more personalised and less disruptive treatments, Caltech’s sound-driven implants may signal a broader trend. If clinical trials go well, the future of medicine may be not just less invasive but barely visible at all.