Development of Biodegradable Drug-Eluting Device for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Immunotherapy

The systemic administration of immunotherapy faces significant limitations, including inadequate anti-tumor immune responses and undesirable side effects. To overcome these challenges, localized drug delivery platforms have emerged as a promising strategy to enhance therapeutic efficacy by increasing direct tumor exposure to immunotherapeutic agents while minimizing off-target toxicity. This study presents the design, fabrication, and functional evaluation of a biodegradable Nanofluidic Drug Eluting Seed (bNDES)—a polymer-based intratumoral drug delivery system. The bNDES is composed of FDA-approved biodegradable polymers, Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and Poly(D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), forming a nanofibrous scaffold tailored for intratumoral therapeutic interventions. The fabrication process resulted in microporous and nanofibrous implants with minimal defects and bead formation. Additionally, a surface modification technique using acetone vaporization enabled tunable drug release kinetics. The bNDES, loaded with immunotherapeutic agents, was evaluated for its effectiveness in treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), demonstrating a significant reduction in tumor burden through localized drug delivery while minimizing systemic biodistribution. Moreover, the incorporation of Barium Sulfate (BaSO₄) endows the bNDES with intrinsic radio-opacity, enhancing its compatibility with image-guided radiotherapy and enabling synergistic treatment strategies. As an advanced drug-eluting system, the bNDES offers a versatile and adaptable therapeutic platform applicable across various solid tumors due to its drug-agnostic nature. In conclusion, the bNDES represents a promising innovation in localized cancer therapy by combining precise intratumoral drug delivery with radiotherapy compatibility, paving the way for improved oncological treatment outcomes.