Gates Foundation Funds Implantable 'Cell Factories' That Could Fight HIV and Malaria for Years

Living Drug Factories Under Your Skin

The Gates Foundation has awarded two point two million dollars to Rice University bioengineer Omid Veiseh to develop implantable cell factories capable of producing therapeutic antibodies continuously for years at a time, potentially transforming how HIV and malaria are prevented and treated worldwide.

Two Strategies, One Goal

The project advances two complementary approaches. The first uses injectable hydrogel capsules containing antibody-producing cell factories designed for seasonal malaria prevention and treatment. The second employs wireless miniaturised biocompatible devices engineered to produce HIV-neutralising antibodies continuously for at least four years.

Veiseh, who also directs the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, is leading the work alongside Northwestern University collaborator Michael Diehl, with Tulane University also contributing.

Building on Proven Results

The grant builds on earlier Gates Foundation-funded research that produced high-potency cell lines and an immunomodulatory hydrogel, together achieving stable year-long delivery of HIV-neutralising antibodies in preclinical models. A previous three million dollar grant in twenty twenty-two laid the groundwork, and the current project specifically targets oxygenation and scalability limitations encountered in those earlier designs.

Why It Matters

More than two hundred and twelve monoclonal antibodies are currently approved for clinical use worldwide, but most require frequent high-dose injections or intravenous infusions. This creates significant cost, infrastructure, and patient compliance barriers, particularly in resource-limited health systems. Current HIV prevention antibodies require administration every four to six months with cold chain logistics, making widespread deployment in low and middle income countries extremely challenging.

Global Access First

In alignment with the Gates Foundation's Global Access commitment, the project prioritises scalable manufacturing and cost analyses to ensure the technology reaches the populations who need it most. The broader cell factory platform has also shown promise in cancer and Type one diabetes research.