| Summary: | Changkyu Lee Department of Biopharmaceutical Engineering, Division of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, KoreaCorrespondence: Changkyu Lee, Email leeck30421@dongguk.ac.krIntroduction: Compared to intravenous administration, intratumoral drug administration enables the direct delivery of drugs to tumors and mitigates the systemic absorption of drugs and associated drug-induced side effects. However, intratumoral drug administration presents several challenges. The high interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) of the tumor prevents the retention of drugs within the tumor; thus, significant amounts of the drugs are absorbed systemically through the bloodstream or delivered to non-target sites. To solve this problem, in this study, a drug-enclosed needle-type starch implant was developed that can overcome IFP and remain in the tumor.Methods: Injectable needle-type starch implants (NS implants) were prepared by starch gelatinization and drying. The structure, cytotoxicity, and anticancer effects of the NS implants were evaluated. Biodistribution of NS implants was evaluated in pork (in vitro), dissected liver (ex vivo), and 4T1 tumors in mice (in vivo) using a fluorescence imaging device.Results: The prepared NS implants exhibited a hydrogel structure after water absorption. NS implants showed effective cytotoxicity and anticancer effects by photothermal therapy (PTT). The NS implant itself has sufficient strength and can be easily injected into a desired area. In vivo, the NS implant continuously delivered drugs to the tumor more effectively and uniformly than conventional hydrogels and solutions.Conclusion: This study demonstrated the advantages of needle-type implants. An injectable NS implant can be a new formulation that can effectively deliver drugs and exhibit anticancer effects.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: starch, implant, photothermal therapy, intratumoral drug administration, uniform drug distribution
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