PFIZER TO BUY 'GENE GUN' MAKER

Pfizer announced Oct. 9 it will purchase PowderMed, a UK company that developed particle-mediated epidermal delivery technology, which boosts the immune system by shooting microscopic DNA-coated gold particles into the skin.

The needle-free device shoots microscopic gold particles into the skin at more than 1,500 miles per hour using pressurized helium gas. These DNA-coated particles enter the epidermis, which is inaccessible using a needle and syringe, and activate cells that trigger an immune response.

The device, referred to as a "gene gun" on PowderMed's website, requires "minimal medical training and may allow for self-administration," according to Pfizer.