HydroTheC · Biodegradable and Eco-friendly Smart Hydrogels for the Sustained Intraperitoneal Release of Chemotherapeutics as a Novel Local Therapy Approach for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian Cancer (OC) is usually diagnosed in advanced stages when metastasis into the intra-abdominal (i.a.) cavity already occurred. The OC standard-of-care efficacy is hampered by drugs high systemic toxicity and the early appearance of resistance. Thus, advanced OC remains an unmet clinical need, forcing the need for alternative therapies based on drugs local slow-release at the i.a. cavity. Hydrogels (HG) have been proposed as in situ drug sustained release systems in the biomedical field. Their application avoids off-target effects caused by drugs systemic administration and improves their therapeutic efficacy. Thermo-responsive HG (TR-HG) gained special attention due to their ability to be liquid at room temperature, enabling their injection, and jellify at body temperature. Accordingly, the goal of HydroTheC is to provide a new on-demand TR-HG as a new delivery depot system for the impairment of OC i.a. spread. The innovative character of the proposed HG relies on: i) Use of Natural and eco-friendly components and synthesis methods recognized by Green Chemistry rules, ii) Use of in silico bioinformatic tools to reduce unnecessary expenses and environmental impact, iii) Nanoparticles incorporation to create e multicompartment HG system, and iv) On-demand character, due to its easy adaptability to any drug or clinical conditions that would benefit from local therapy. For the project success will be crucial the team interdisciplinary character, as well as the perfect match of knowledge existent between the candidate and associated institutions. In the end, it is expected to obtain a novel HG that will significantly increase the standard-of-care therapeutic window, increasing OC patients survival and quality-of-life. Moreover, the designed HG would serve as a technological platform adaptable to different clinical applications, paving the way toward more personalized therapies, and bringing new alternatives to clinical situations with limited therapeutic options.