One problem many physicians and patients face is compliance in taking routine medications. One study shows that only about 50% of the patients in the developed world take their medications as prescribed, and the figure is much lower in the developing world.

Enter Bill Gates, who – through his foundation – funded research to see if innovators could come up with a pill that can be taken orally and last much longer than the current pills do (12-24 hours).

What they came up with is a pill that’s regular size when swallowed, but expands into a much bigger star-like shape, which prevents it from moving on from the stomach to the intestinal tract. The pill then stays in the stomach, slowly releasing medication, until it breaks down and is digested.

Although it is not approved for human use yet, it has proven safe on pigs. The benefits of this drug are numerous, including two big ones. First, in the developing world, it will help to fight malaria. Second, for everyone who is supposed to take daily pills, the hope is there will be better compliance if patients only need to take one pill a week.

You can read the full article here:

[Freaky Expanding Pill Stays in Your Gut for Days to Deliver Drugs](http://gizmodo.com/freaky-expanding-pill-stays-in-your-gut-for-days-to-del-1789091092)