But they had never been able to copy the complex and expensive biotech medicines increasingly used to treat cancer, diabetes and other diseases in rich nations like the United States - until now.

The first generation of such chips, made by MicroCHIPS, an American firm, tackles diabetes.

While diabetes is a preventable and manageable disease, it can have serious complications if left untreated, and it's estimated that about 6 million Americans don't know they are diabetic.