A South Korean research team has developed smart nanoparticles that remain hidden in normal tissue but shed their protective coating and release anticancer drugs once they reach tumor tissue, according to findings published on Jul. 14. This new drug delivery technology aims to reduce the side effects of cancer treatment while significantly improving its efficacy.
The study was led by Professor Hyung Joon Cha of the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology), together with Ph.D. candidate Hyeokjun Lee. Their results were recently published in Biomaterials, an international academic journal focused on biomaterials.
Pancreatic cancer is known for being difficult to treat because it is often diagnosed late, located deep within the body, and spreads rapidly to surrounding organs. The most common treatment, intravenous chemotherapy using gemcitabine, breaks down quickly in the bloodstream and does not reach tumor tissue in sufficient quantities. It also attacks normal cells, causing severe systemic side effects.
To address these challenges, the research team used molecular synthetic biotechnology inspired by mussels' ability to adhere to wet rocks. They mass-produced mussel adhesive protein, converted it into nanoparticles encapsulating gemcitabine inside them, and coated their surface with a biocompatible polymer called polyethylene glycol (PEG). This protective layer allows the nanoparticles to evade immune cells while circulating through the bloodstream.
The core innovation is a spatially controlled stimulus-response system: a special peptide link in the protective coating is cleaved only by MMP2—an enzyme found in high amounts in pancreatic cancer tissue—causing the coating to be removed only at tumor sites. Once exposed at these sites, the nanoparticles regain strong adhesive properties from mussel protein, attach firmly to tumor tissue, penetrate cancer cells, and continuously release anticancer drugs directly where needed.
Animal model experiments showed that compared with conventional treatments or standard nanoparticles alone, these new particles increased accumulation within tumors by more than 60%, reduced tumor volume and weight by over half compared with conventional drugs alone, caused widespread cancer cell death as confirmed histologically—and did so without observed systemic toxicity.
Professor Cha Hyung Joon said, "The drug delivery platform we have developed is a novel systemic treatment that even when administered intravenously is selectively activated only within tumor tissue to release the drug," adding, "By reducing the side effects of cancer treatment while enhancing its efficacy it will offer hope to patients with intractable solid tumors including pancreatic cancer." The team plans further development toward next-generation targeted therapies for other difficult-to-treat solid tumors.
