IIT Madras-led Team Develops Nanoinjection System for Breast Cancer Treatment

An international team of researchers, led by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, has created an advanced nanoinjection drug delivery platform that could enhance the safety and effectiveness of breast cancer treatment. Breast cancer is a major cause of death for women globally. Traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can harm healthy tissues due to widespread drug exposure. The new nanoinjection system delivers the anticancer drug doxorubicin directly into cancer cells using thermally stable nanoarchaeosomes loaded into vertically aligned silicon nanotubes etched onto a silicon wafer. This method offers a precise and sustained therapeutic approach that reduces damage to healthy cells by combining nanoarchaeosome-based drug encapsulation with silicon nanotube-based intracellular delivery. The team, which includes researchers from Monash University and Deakin University in Australia, conducted experiments on cell culture and chick embryo models. The results, published in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, show that the Nanoarchaeosome-Doxorubicin-Silicon nanotubes induced strong cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells while sparing healthy fibroblasts. The system also led to cell-cycle arrest and necrosis in cancer cells and significantly reduced angiogenesis, the process by which tumors form new blood vessels, by downregulating key pro-angiogenic factors. Compared to free doxorubicin, the platform demonstrated a 23 times lower inhibitory concentration (IC50), indicating higher potency at lower doses, potentially reducing treatment costs and side effects. Dr. Swathi Sudhakar, Assistant Professor at the Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering at IIT Madras, highlighted the transformative impact this research could have on healthcare delivery in countries with limited access to advanced cancer treatments. The system’s targeted delivery of smaller, more effective doses could lower overall cancer treatment expenses and enhance patients’ quality of life. The platform, which is biocompatible and non-toxic, differs from other nanoinjection systems made from carbon or titanium nanotubes. This inherent design reduces the need for additional surface modifications, making it a reliable and scalable option for future clinical use. The team plans to move forward with in vivo validation, long-term toxicity studies, and regulatory assessments to pave the way for preclinical and clinical applications.