Scientists in the US have developed a new microchip that they believe could "significantly" increase efficiency in the pharmaceuticals manufacturing industry.
The new chip is packed with highly-sensitive nanosensors, which analyse how proteins bind with each other.
According to the developers from Stanford University, this is a crucial step for evaluating the effectiveness of a drug, and this new device can potentially check the drug's reaction with every protein in the body in one go.
"You can fit thousands, even tens of thousands, of different proteins of interest on the same chip and run the protein-binding experiments in one shot," said research leader Shan Wang, a professor of materials science and electrical engineering.
This announcement comes after scientists at the Technische Universitat Darmstadt in Germany revealed they have developed a new "smart" polymer film for the pharmaceutical industry.
The substance can be used to ensure that drugs activate at exactly the right time.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the pharmaceutical industry includes:
