by A team of researchers from Mass General Brigham and the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research has developed a gel delivery system that could revolutionize the treatment of solid tumors. Intratumoral therapy, which involves injecting cancer drugs directly into tumors, has shown limited success in clinical trials due to difficulties in precise drug delivery and rapid dissipation of immunotherapies at the injection site. However, the newly developed gel overcomes these challenges by solidifying upon delivery, containing an imaging agent for visualization under CT scan, and providing a high concentration of drugs for slow, controlled release.
In a recently published study in Advanced Healthcare Materials, the researchers demonstrated that the gel delivery system successfully induced tumor regression and increased survival rates in mouse models of colon and breast cancer, both of which are known to be resistant to checkpoint inhibitor therapy. The treatment also appeared to train the immune system to detect and attack distant tumors that were not directly treated, suggesting its potential as a therapy for metastatic cancers.
The innovative gel delivery system addresses two key issues in existing intratumoral cancer immunotherapy. Firstly, it makes the therapy visible and practical, allowing interventional radiologists to confirm the drug’s delivery. Secondly, it ensures that the drug remains in the desired region rather than dissipating. “When we inject this gel into a tumor, we’re able to teach the immune system to recognize the cancer and trigger it to attack not only the site where the gel was injected, but also other areas in the body where the same cancer may be hiding,” explained Dr. Avik Som from the Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The interdisciplinary research team, consisting of both engineers and medical professionals, developed and optimized the gel delivery system in the laboratory by modifying its chemical structure. The gel needed to transform from a liquid at room temperature to a solid at body temperature, creating a drug-releasing depot inside the tumor, while retaining drug encapsulation, delivery capability, and carrying a sufficient imaging agent.
After optimizing the gel, the team tested its efficacy on mouse models of colon and breast cancer that are typically resistant to immunotherapy. They used the gel to deliver imiquimod, an FDA-approved immune stimulating drug, in combination with checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Results showed that the treatment improved survival rates in both cancer models. Mice that responded to the treatment showed complete regression of both the treated tumor and a distantly located tumor, indicating potential success in treating metastasis.
“These two tumors remain challenging to treat today, even though immunotherapies are transforming how we think about treatment,” said co-corresponding author Dr. Giovanni Traverso. “The fact that we were able to induce responses in distant tumors in these colon and breast cancer models was a big win.”
The researchers are eager to move the technology to clinical trials. However, further testing for safety is required, and they plan to evaluate its efficacy with a broader range of drugs. Dr. Eric Wehrenberg-Klee, one of the study’s first authors, expressed optimism about the potential of this technology to benefit patients. “There’s quite a bit of benefit to be gained by being able to treat patients with a single injection, and we think this technology has the potential to help with cancers that are currently challenging to treat,” he said.
The gel delivery system presents a promising advancement in cancer treatment, offering a targeted and controlled approach that holds great potential for improving patient outcomes in the future.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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