Local Drug Delivery using Novel Hydrogel Achieves 10 mm of Drug Penetration in the Tumor Microenvironment

Abstract This study entails the evaluation of drug distribution from a novel polysaccharide hydrogel drug delivery system in the tumor microenvironment in a preclinical brain tumor model. A model compound, AD 198, was chosen to test the gel because of its autofluorescence properties. The drug loaded polysaccharide hydrogel was injected intratumorally and delivered compound directly to the target tissue over a sustained period time. Drug effects were imaged in real time in vivo using ultrasound and ex vivo fluorescence was used to correlate tissue effects visualized in the ultrasound images with the distribution of drug in the tissue. Within three weeks of treatment AD 198 was able to distribute up to 10 mm from the implant site and could be detected in the tumor microenvironment from margin to margin.