Programmable intratumoral drug delivery to breast cancer using wireless bioelectronic device with electrochemical actuation

ABSTRACT

Objective

Breast cancer is a global health concern that demands attention. In our contribution to addressing this disease, our study focuses on investigating a wireless micro-device for intratumoral drug delivery, utilizing electrochemical actuation. Microdevices have emerged as a promising approach in this field due to their ability to enable controlled injections in various applications.

Methods

Our study is conducted within a computational framework, employing models that simulate the behavior of the microdevice and drug discharge based on the principles of the ideal gas law. Furthermore, the distribution of the drug within the tissue is simulated, considering both diffusion and convection mechanisms. To predict the therapeutic response, a pharmacodynamic model is utilized, considering the chemotherapeutic effects and cell proliferation.

Results

The findings demonstrate that an effective current of 3 mA, along with an initial gas volume equal to the drug volume in the microdevice, optimizes drug delivery. Microdevices with multiple injection capabilities exhibit enhanced therapeutic efficacy, effectively suppressing cell proliferation. Additionally, tumors with lower microvascular density experience higher drug concentrations in the extracellular space, resulting in significant cell death in hypoxic regions.

Conclusions

Achieving an efficient therapeutic response involves considering both the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment and the frequency of injections within a specific time frame.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Drug delivery
• breast cancer
• wireless bioelectronic
• electrochemical actuation
• mathematical modeling

Author contributions

Mohammad Souri: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Visualization, Formal analysis, Data Curation, Validation, Writing – Original Draft, Project administration; Sohail Elahi: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Visualization, Data Curation, Validation, Writing – Original Draft; Madjid Soltani: Conceptualization, Writing – Review & Editing, Supervision.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17425247.2024.2323211.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.