PANHYDROMED
Novel Hydrogels for the Active Targeting and Effective Delivery of
Chemotherapeutics to Treat Pancreatic Cance
T1EDK-01612
with the co-funding of Greece and European Union
OBJECTIVE
Synthesis of injectable in situ forming, polypeptide-based, self-healing hydrogels containing Paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles for the active targeting of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is characterized by dense solid tumors which inhibit the formation and function of blood vasculature, thereby diminishing drug delivery. Active targeting is therefore required in order to achieve effective and selective delivery of the anticancer agent within this complex microenvironment.
​
The smart design and unique properties of several nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (DDS) offer an alternative new approach for more effective and targeted cancer treatment. To further enhance their therapeutic index, especially for local administration, polymeric nanoparticles have been increasingly combined with hydrogels to form a robust hybrid biomaterial system (NP-gel). Hydrogels can offer tissue-like properties and stimuli-responsiveness, while the use of nanoparticles as drug depot can successfully challenge the initial burst release and the fast diffusion of the drug.
Pharmathen International SA, a research-centered pharmaceutical company, investing in emerging and advanced technologies for more efficient anti-cancer DDS the last decade, the Polymer Lab of Professor Iatrou with the necessary experience on well-defined polypeptides synthesis, and the group of Professor Bikiaris specialized on the preparation and optimization of biodegradable polymeric drug nanocarriers, are collaborating to:
1. Develop an innovative injectable NP-gel pH-sensitive system, where the hydrogel will be directly implanted in the vicinity of the cancer tissue.
2. Explore the self-healing properties of the hydrogels by studying their rheological behavior.
3. Conduct preclinical toxicology studies of the drug formulations.
4. Produce a pilot batch and prepare a business plan to estimate the cost of full-scale production.
Project Coordination: Professor Hermis Iatrou (UoA)
Principal Investigator: Professor Hermis Iatrou (UoA)
​
Panhydromed was concluded on October 8th, 2022.
Publications
-
Synthesis, Crystallization, and Molecular Mobility in Poly(ε-caprolactone) Copolyesters of Different Architectures for Biomedical Applications Studied by Calorimetry and Dielectric Spectroscopy
Posters in scientific conferences
​
