Metal-Organic hydrogels for efficient drug delivery (mohedd)
The treatment of glioblastoma – the most common, aggressive and lethal type of brain cancer with survival rated below 14% – requires novel and improved drug delivery systems to overcome the drawback of state-of-the-art local chemotherapy by using Gliadel wafers. MOHEDD aims to evaluate the feasibility of advanced nanoMOFs and hydrogel hybrids for controlled drug delivery into the commercial stage, with the idea of accelerating their access to the market as highly efficient delivery vehicles for glioblastoma. The novelty of MOHEDD’s technology lies on the synergistic potential of integrating nanoMOF particles, loaded with cancer drugs, within a hydrogel network to create a biocompatible, processible, tailorable system for efficient controlled drug delivery in glioblastoma. We use 3D sponge-like networks of hydrogels to promote the dispersibility of MOFs in their matrices, using the MOFs as high capacity drug vehicles as well as to tune the properties of the hydrogels. Through validation of drug loading and release with MOF@hydrogels, we will evaluate such composites for human (rat) glioma models. We expect to achieve pharmaceutical, clinical, academic and public impact throughout MOHEDD project by a close collaboration of industrial partners and clinical advisers. The industrial consortium stems from a successful spin-out of the academic group (Immaterial Labs), chemical manufacturers (BASF) and pharma companies (AstraZeneca) as well as clinicians. The success of MOHEDD will result in the translation of MOF