Researchers have developed a long-lasting capsule that, when swallowed, slowly releases medicine into the body. The researchers say the capsule was developed for treatment of the disease malaria. But they believe it could hold medicines for a number of health problems. Once inside the stomach, the plastic capsule opens up to release the drug in small, measured amounts. The plastic is designed to resist the stomach’s acidic environment. The device breaks down after about two weeks and is expelled with waste products. At that time, a patient would swallow another drug-containing capsule. Researchers have tested capsules filled with the drug ivermectin on pigs and dogs. Ivermectin is used to treat parasitic organisms. It kills mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite. Scientists are now designing a program to test the capsule in people next year. The scientists work with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts.