IIT Guwahati Develops Injectable Hydrogel For Cancer Treatment – News18

Last Updated:January 02, 2025, 18:07 IST

IIT Guwahati: This hydrogel acts as a stable reservoir for anti-cancer drugs, releasing them in a controlled way and protecting healthy cells from damage.

Researchers from IIT Guwahati and Bose Institute Kolkata have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment. This innovative therapy delivers anti-cancer drugs directly to tumours, reducing the side effects often seen with traditional cancer treatments.

The study was published in Materials Horizons, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The team included Prof. Debapratim Das and his research scholars Tanushree Das and Ritvika Kushwaha from IIT Guwahati, along with collaborators Dr. Kuldip Jana, Satyajit Halder, and Anup Kumar Misra from Bose Institute Kolkata, IIT Guwahati said.

The institute highlights that cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with treatments like chemotherapy and surgery having major limitations. Surgery is often not feasible for internal organs, and chemotherapy can damage both cancerous and healthy cells.

Speaking about the breakthrough, Prof. Debapratim Das, Dept. of Chemistry, IIT Guwahati, said, “This work exemplifies how scientific innovation can directly address the pressing needs of cancer treatment. The hydrogel’s unique properties allow it to work in harmony with the biological environment, offering precision where it is needed most. We are excited by its potential to transform our thoughts about localized drug delivery.”

In preclinical trials on mice with breast cancer, a single injection of the hydrogel loaded with the chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin reduced tumour size by about 75% in 18 days. The hydrogel stayed at the tumor site and steadily released the drug, without causing side effects to other organs.

“This innovation addresses a critical need in cancer treatment by ensuring precision drug delivery. The hydrogel works in harmony with the body, offering targeted treatment with minimal side effects,” Prof. Das added.

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The hydrogel not only improves the drug’s effectiveness but also reduces the required dosage, lowering toxicity. It enhances drug uptake by cancer cells, stops their growth, and promotes their destruction.

Further studies are underway to explore its potential for other types of tumours and to determine the maximum tumour size reduction from a single dose. Once completed, the team plans to seek clinical trials and collaborate with industry partners to bring this technology to patients, the official statement from the institute said.

Location :

Guwahati [Gauhati], India