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Radiopaque microsphere-hydrogel composite for extended-release intratumoral immunotherapy in a large animal model
Anup Kumar Patel1, Imran Shair Mohammad1, Marcin Kortylewski2
1Department of Radiology, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
Drug Delivery and Translational Research
|July 2, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed an extended-release hydrogel to retain immunotherapy agents at the injection site, reducing systemic toxicity and enhancing antitumor immune responses with sustained drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- Intratumoral injection of immune stimulants can reverse tumor immunosuppression.
- Rapid drug washout into systemic circulation causes toxicity and reduces efficacy.
- Sustained local drug delivery is needed for effective immunotherapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an extended-release hydrogel for sustained intratumoral immunotherapy delivery.
- To overcome rapid drug washout and systemic toxicity associated with current methods.
- To enable effective immunotherapy from a single injection.
Main Methods:
- Developed a composite hydrogel with drug-loaded microspheres for sustained release.
- Embedded microspheres in a radiopaque cross-linked hydrogel for local retention.
- Tested the hydrogel system for delivery of various immunotherapy agents into pig liver tumors.
Main Results:
- The microsphere gel significantly reduced burst release (7.8x) and increased drug half-life (>15x) compared to controls.
- Demonstrated safe delivery of immunotherapy agents into liver tumors with no acute systemic toxicity.
- Achieved sustained intratumoral drug release over several days.
Conclusions:
- The developed extended-release hydrogel enables sustained intratumoral immunotherapy delivery.
- This approach minimizes systemic toxicity and enhances therapeutic potential.
- A single injection of the immunotherapy-loaded microsphere gel can generate an antitumor immune response.
