Scientists use the Chimeric Hydrogel for Targeting the Tumor Progression

Group led by Dr. Avinash Bajaj from Regional Centre for Biotechnology designed a low molecular weight hydrogel that can maintain sustained and sequential release of combination of drugs and inhibit the tumor progression in murine models. Using the bioconjugation strategies and biocompatible bile acid and peptide scaffolds, Dr. Bajaj’s group engineered a biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogel. They then entrapped a combination of anti-proliferative (doxorubicin), anti-angiogenic (combretastatin) and anti-inflammatory (dexamethasone) drugs in the hydrogel. Local implantation of the hydrogel reduces the tumor growth kinetics significantly and enhances the median survival. In collaboration with Dr. Ujjaini Dasgupta’ group at Amity University, Haryana, they have deciphered the in-depth mechanism and found that hydrogel-mediated delivery of combination of drugs alters the sphingolipid metabolism and helps in combating drug resistance.

More details about this research can been read at:

https://indiabioscience.org/news/2019/researchers-combat-tumour-growth-by-packing-three-drugs-into-a-single-biomaterial

Article:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscentsci.9b00551