Recent advances in the design of drug-loaded polymeric implants for the treatment of solid tumors

Biomaterialomics: Data science-driven pathways to develop fourth-generation biomaterials

Conventional approaches to developing biomaterials and implants require intuitive tailoring of manufacturing protocols and biocompatibility assessment. This leads to longer development cycles, and high costs. To meet existing and unmet clinical needs, it is critical to accelerate the production of implantable biomaterials, implants and biomedical devices. Building on the Materials Genome Initiative, we define the concept 'biomaterialomics' as the integration of multi-omics data and high-dimensional analysis with artificial intelligence (AI) tools throughout the entire pipeline of biomaterials development. The Data Science-driven approach is envisioned to bring together on a single platform, the computational tools, databases, experimental methods, machine learning, and advanced manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing) to develop the fourth-generation biomaterials and implants, whose clinical performance will be predicted using 'digital twins'. While analysing the key elements of the concept of 'biomaterialomics', significant emphasis has been put forward to effectively utilize high-throughput biocompatibility data together with multiscale physics-based models, E-platform/online databases of clinical studies, data science approaches, including metadata management, AI/ Machine Learning (ML) algorithms and uncertainty predictions. Such integrated formulation will allow one to adopt cross-disciplinary approaches to establish processing-structure-property (PSP) linkages. A few published studies from the lead author's research group serve as representative examples to illustrate the formulation and relevance of the 'Biomaterialomics' approaches for three emerging research themes, i.e. patient-specific implants, additive manufacturing, and bioelectronic medicine. The increased adaptability of AI/ML tools in biomaterials science along with the training of the next generation researchers in data science are strongly recommended. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This leading opinion review paper emphasizes the need to integrate the concepts and algorithms of the data science with biomaterials science. Also, this paper emphasizes the need to establish a mathematically rigorous cross-disciplinary framework that will allow a systematic quantitative exploration and curation of critical biomaterials knowledge needed to drive objectively the innovation efforts within a suitable uncertainty quantification framework, as embodied in 'biomaterialomics' concept, which integrates multi-omics data and high-dimensional analysis with artificial intelligence (AI) tools, like machine learning. The formulation of this approach has been demonstrated for patient-specific implants, additive manufacturing, and bioelectronic medicine.

Tissue-reactive drugs enable materials-free local depots

Local, sustained drug delivery of potent therapeutics holds promise for the treatment of a myriad of localized diseases while eliminating systemic side effects. However, introduction of drug delivery depots such as viscous hydrogels or polymer-based implants is highly limited in stiff tissues such as desmoplastic tumors. Here, we present a method to create materials-free intratumoral drug depots through Tissue-Reactive Anchoring Pharmaceuticals (TRAPs). TRAPs diffuse into tissue and attach locally for sustained drug release. In TRAPs, potent drugs are modified with ECM-reactive groups and then locally injected to quickly react with accessible amines within the ECM, creating local drug depots. We demonstrate that locally injected TRAPs create dispersed, stable intratumoral depots deep within mouse and human pancreatic tumor tissues. TRAPs depots based on ECM-reactive paclitaxel (TRAP paclitaxel) had better solubility than free paclitaxel and enabled sustained in vitro and in vivo drug release. TRAP paclitaxel induced higher tumoral apoptosis and sustained better antitumor efficacy than the free drug. By providing continuous drug access to tumor cells, this material-free approach to sustained drug delivery of potent therapeutics has the potential in a wide variety of diseases where current injectable depots fall short.

Advances in nanotechnology-based delivery systems for EGFR tyrosine kinases inhibitors in cancer therapy

Oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family have been introduced into the clinic to treat human malignancies for decades. Despite superior properties of EGFR-TKIs as small molecule targeted drugs, their applications are still restricted due to their low solubility, capricious oral bioavailability, large requirement of daily dose, high binding tendency to plasma albumin and initial/acquired drug resistance. Nanotechnology is a promising tool to improve efficacy of these drugs. Through non-oral routes. Various nanotechnology-based delivery approaches have been developed for providing efficient delivery of EGFR-TKIs with a better pharmacokinetic profile and tissue-targeting ability. This review aims to indicate the advantage of nanocarriers for EGFR-TKIs delivery.

Efficacy of paclitaxel/dexamethasone intra-tumoral delivery in treating orthotopic mouse breast cancer

The effect of topical co-administration of promoter drugs with paclitaxel to increase anti-tumor effects of paclitaxel was investigated. Mice with orthotopic 4T1-Luc breast cancer received single intra-tumoral injection of a polymeric formulation with paclitaxel and a specific promoter drug. Several promoter drugs were evaluated, including: dexamethasone, losartan, nicotinamide, Azone, and oleic acid. Dexamethasone exhibited the highest effect on paclitaxel anti-tumor activity, in a dose-dependent fashion. However, this effect was accompanied by systemic effects of dexamethasone, and inability to prevent tumor metastasis to the lungs. Topical co-administration of promoter drugs with anti-cancer agents can enhance their anti-tumor effects. Further investigations are needed to identify the most efficient combinations of promoter and anti-cancer drugs, and their suitability for the clinical management of the breast cancer disease.

Nanotechnology and Glycosaminoglycans: Paving the Way Forward for Ovarian Cancer Intervention

Ovarian cancer (OC) has gained a great deal of attention due to its aggressive proliferative capabilities, high death rates and poor treatment outcomes, rendering the disease the ultimate lethal gynaecological cancer. Nanotechnology provides a promising avenue to combat this malignancy by the niche fabrication of optimally-structured nanomedicines that ensure potent delivery of chemotherapeutics to OC, employing nanocarriers to act as "intelligent" drug delivery vehicles, functionalized with active targeting approaches for precision delivery of chemotherapeutics to overexpressed biomarkers on cancer cells. Recently, much focus has been implemented to optimize these active targeting mechanisms for treatment/diagnostic purposes employing nanocarriers. This two-part article aims to review the latest advances in active target-based OC interventions, where the impact of the newest antibody, aptamer and folate functionalization on OC detection and treatment is discussed in contrast to the limitations of this targeting mechanism. Furthermore, we discuss the latest advances in nanocarrier based drug delivery in OC, highlighting their commercial/clinical viability of these systems beyond the realms of research. Lastly, in the second section of this review, we comprehensively discussed a focus shift in OC targeting from the well-studied OC cells to the vastly neglected extracellular matrix and motivate the potential for glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) as a more focused extracellular molecular target.

Engineered in-situ depot-forming hydrogels for intratumoral drug delivery

Chemotherapy is the traditional treatment for intermediate and late stage cancers. The search for treatment options with minimal side effects has been ongoing for several years. Drug delivery technologies that result in minimal or no side effects with improved ease of use for the patients are receiving increased attention. Polymer drug conjugates and nanoparticles can potentially offset the volume of drug distribution while enhancing the accumulation of the active drug in tumors thereby reducing side effects. Additionally, development of localized drug delivery platforms is being investigated as another key approach to target tumors with minimal or no toxicity. Development of in-situ depot-forming gel systems for intratumoral delivery of immuno-oncology actives can enhance drug bioavailability to the tumor site and reduce systemic toxicity. This field of drug delivery is critical to develop given the advent of immunotherapy and the availability of novel biological molecules for treating solid tumors. This article reviews the advances in the field of engineered in-situ gelling platforms as a practical tool for local delivery of active oncolytic agents to tumor sites.

Co-delivery of siRNA and doxorubicin to cancer cells from additively manufactured implants

Tumors in load bearing bones are a major clinical problem as recurrence is common after surgery. Void filling scaffolds that kill residual cancer cells by releasing chemotherapy and siRNA/chitosan nanoparticles may offer a solution to this problem.

A Facile Strategy for In Situ Controlled Delivery of Doxorubicin with a pH-Sensitive Injectable Hydrogel

In light of the challenges along with the traditional intravenous administration of chemotherapeutics, injectable hydrogel-drug system emerges as a powerful tool for noninvasive and in situ controlled-release of drugs. Herein, we report a novel strategy of drug delivery system with pH responsive injectable hydrogels by taking advantages of two biomaterials. The first one is a pH sensitive polymer-drug (prodrug) conjugate, poly (ethylene glycol)–doxorubicin (MPEG–DOX) with hydrazone linkage. This prodrug interacted with a second biomaterial, α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) under mild conditions and subsequently formed the hydrogels in minutes with tunable stiffness. The gels showed a sustained release behavior dependent on the surrounding pH and released drugs effectively killed tumor cells (MCF-7). The quick cell uptake and efficient intracellular delivery of DOX were observed under a confocal microscope. This study thus provides a novel and simple drug encapsulation strategy to deliver poorly soluble drugs in situ for a potential targeted chemotherapy.

Advances in nanotechnology-based delivery systems for curcumin

Curcumin (CUR), a bioactive component of turmeric, which is a commonly used spice and nutritional supplement, is isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa Linn. (Zingiberaceae). In recent years, the potential pharmacological actions of CUR in inflammatory disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and neurological disorders have been shown. However, the clinical application of CUR is severely limited by its main drawbacks such as instability, low solubility, poor bioavailability and rapid metabolism. Multifarious nanotechnology-based delivery approaches have been used to enhance the oral bioavailability, biological activity or tissue-targeting ability of CUR. This article reviews potential novel drug delivery systems for CUR including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, micelles, nanogels, nanosuspensions, nanoemulsions, complexes and dendrimer/dimer, which provide promising results for CUR to improve its biological activities.