Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 22: An international team of scientists led by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has unveiled a novel nanoinjection drug delivery platform that promises to make breast cancer treatment more precise, effective, and safer.
Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide, and conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation often damage healthy tissues due to systemic exposure. The new system delivers the anticancer drug doxorubicin directly into cancer cells using thermally stable nanoarchaeosomes (NAs) loaded into vertically aligned silicon nanotubes (SiNTs) etched onto a silicon wafer.
By combining nanoarchaeosome-based drug encapsulation with SiNT-mediated intracellular delivery, the platform creates a controlled and sustained therapeutic effect while minimizing harm to healthy cells. The research team, which included collaborators from Monash University and Deakin University in Australia, published their findings in Advanced Materials Interfaces.
Experiments on in vitro (cell culture) and ex ovo (chick embryo) models showed that the NAD-SiNTs (Nanoarchaeosome-Doxorubicin-Silicon Nanotubes) were highly cytotoxic to MCF-7 breast cancer cells while sparing healthy fibroblasts. The system induced cell-cycle arrest, necrosis in cancer cells, and significantly inhibited angiogenesis by downregulating key pro-angiogenic factors.
Remarkably, the NAD-SiNTs demonstrated a 23-fold lower inhibitory concentration (IC50) compared to free doxorubicin, indicating higher potency at much lower doses. This could reduce treatment costs and limit side effects for patients.
Dr. Swathi Sudhakar, Assistant Professor at IIT Madras, said, “This research could transform healthcare delivery in low- and middle-income countries like India. By enabling targeted delivery of smaller doses with higher efficacy, the system can potentially lower the overall cost of cancer treatment and improve patients’ quality of life.” She added that the platform could also be adapted for treating other cancers in the future.
Unlike other nanoinjection systems based on carbon or titanium nanotubes, the silicon nanotube design is inherently biocompatible and non-toxic, reducing the need for surface modifications and making it more scalable for clinical use.
The research team plans to advance the platform through in vivo validation, long-term toxicity studies, and regulatory assessments in preparation for preclinical and clinical trials.