Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, and Bose Institute, Kolkata, in collaboration have come up with an injectable hydrogel to treat targeted breast cancer with much fewer side effects as those are often seen in chemotherapy.

Important Features

1. Novel Hydrogel for Localised Cancer Treatment:

2. The injectable hydrogel delivers drugs directly to the tumour site, thereby not interfering much with other healthy tissues.

3. Ultra-short peptides are employed in designing the hydrogel; the hydrogel is biocompatible, biodegradable as well as insoluble in bio fluids, thus it remains localized at the site of injection.

  2.  Mechanism of Action:

• The hydrogel responds to high levels of glutathione (GSH), a molecule that is predominantly located in tumor cells.

• On encountering high GSH levels, it triggers a controlled release of the drug directly into the tumour, thus minimizing systemic side effects.

  3.  Preclinical Success in Breast Cancer Models:

• In the preclinical murine model trials, one-time injection of hydrogel containing chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin brought about ~75% decrease in tumour size within 18 days.

• The hydrogel stayed localized at the tumour site, slowly releasing the drug over time without causing detectable side effects on other organs.

  4.  Advantages Over Conventional Treatments:

• Current treatments, such as chemotherapy, often result in harmful systemic side effects and affect both cancerous and healthy cells.

• The hydrogel enhances drug uptake by cancer cells, induces cell cycle arrest, and promotes programmed cell death, reducing the required dosage and toxicity.

5.   Future Prospects:

• Researchers are exploring its efficacy for other types of tumours and conducting further studies to maximize tumour size reduction.

• Plans are underway to apply for clinical trials, with efforts to identify suitable partners for collaboration.

Statements from Researchers
Prof. Debapratim Das, IIT-Guwahati:
“This hydrogel exemplifies how scientific innovation can address critical challenges in cancer treatment. Its ability to localize drug delivery and reduce systemic toxicity offers a paradigm shift in cancer therapy.”This breakthrough hydrogel not only shows the possibility of localized drug delivery systems but also the potential of India in innovation for cancer treatment. Further studies and clinical trials may open the door to safer and more effective therapies for cancer patients around the world.