Hydrogel developed for targeted breast cancer therapy

Rows of pink hydrogel. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati and the Bose Institute, Kolkata have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

GUWAHATI

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) and the Bose Institute, Kolkata have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment.

A statement issued by the IIT-G said this hydrogel serves as a stable reservoir for anti-cancer drugs, releasing it in a controlled manner while sparing healthy cells from harm.

The findings of the research, expected to be revolutionary for breast cancer therapy, have been published in Materials Horizons, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The paper is co-authored by Debapratim Das along with his research scholars Tanushree Das and Ritvika Kushwaha from IIT-G’s Department of Chemistry, and Kuldip Jana, Satyajit Halder, and Anup Kumar Misra from Bose Institute, Kolkata.

“Current treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgical interventions, often have severe limitations. Surgical removal of tumours is sometimes not feasible, particularly for internal organs. At the same time, chemotherapy’s systemic delivery often results in harmful side effects by affecting both cancerous and healthy cells,” the researchers said in the statement.

The team addressed these challenges by designing a hydrogel that delivers drugs precisely to the tumour site, ensuring localised action.

Hydrogels are water-based, three-dimensional polymer networks capable of absorbing and retaining fluids. Their unique structure mimics living tissues, making them suitable for biomedical applications.

The hydrogel, composed of ultra-short peptides — biocompatible and biodegradable building blocks of proteins — is designed to remain insoluble in biological fluids, ensuring it stays localised at the injection site. It responds to elevated glutathione (GSH) levels, a molecule abundant in tumour cells.

Upon encountering high GSH levels, the hydrogel triggers a controlled drug release directly into the tumour, minimising its interaction with healthy tissues and reducing systemic side effects.

“This work exemplifies how scientific innovation can directly address the pressing needs of cancer treatment. The hydrogel’s unique properties allow it to work harmoniously with the biological environment, offering precision where it is needed most,” Prof. Das said.

He said the hydrogel showcased remarkable efficacy in preclinical trials on a murine model of breast cancer. A single injection of the hydrogel, loaded with the chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin, resulted in a ~75% reduction in the tumour size within 18 days.

Crucially, the hydrogel remained localised at the tumour site, steadily releasing the drug over time without causing detectable side effects on other organs.

“This innovative delivery system enhances the drug’s effectiveness while reducing the required dosage, thus minimising toxicity. Laboratory studies further demonstrated that the hydrogel improves drug uptake by cancer cells, induces cell cycle arrest, and promotes programmed cell death, thereby attacking tumours on multiple fronts,” the statement said.