Stimuli-responsive theragrippers for chemomechanical controlled release

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial for targeted therapy.
• Current methods often lack precise tissue adherence and controlled release.
• Stimuli-responsive materials offer potential for advanced therapeutic devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate novel thermo-responsive, multi-fingered drug-eluting devices (theragrippers).
• To assess the tissue-gripping capability and drug elution kinetics of theragrippers.
• To demonstrate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of theragrippers for enhanced drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of theragrippers using photolithographic patterning with poly(propylene fumarate) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid).
• Characterization of thermo-responsive gripping behavior above 32°C.
• Loading theragrippers with fluorescent dyes and drugs (mesalamine, doxorubicin) for elution studies.
• In vitro drug delivery assessment using a control patch.
• In vivo study in a live pig to visualize dye release in the stomach.

Main Results:

• Theragrippers demonstrated spontaneous tissue gripping above 32°C.
• Sustained drug elution for up to seven days with first-order release kinetics was observed.
• In vitro studies showed enhanced doxorubicin delivery compared to a control patch.
• In vivo visualization confirmed dye release in the pig's stomach.

Conclusions:

• Theragrippers represent an effective strategy for sustained drug release.
• The tissue-gripping capability ensures localized and targeted drug delivery.
• These devices have immediate applicability for gastrointestinal tract therapies.