In a development that could improve outcomes for breast cancer patients, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT–M), in collaboration with Monash University and Deakin University, Australia, have designed a nanoinjection drug-delivery system that enables targeted, sustained release of chemotherapy drugs while minimising collateral damage to healthy tissue.
The platform combines nanoarchaeosome-based drug encapsulation with vertically aligned silicon nanotube (SiNT) delivery. According to the research team, the approach could address one of oncology’s longstanding challenges: reducing toxic side effects associated with systemic chemotherapy.
Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer mortality among women in India and globally. Recent projections indicate that India is likely to witness a substantial rise in incidence in the coming decade, driven by late diagnosis, genetic predisposition, lifestyle changes and environmental exposures. Public health experts estimate that nearly half of breast cancer cases in India are diagnosed at advanced stages, significantly reducing survival rates. Conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapies, while lifesaving, are associated with serious adverse effects as they affect both malignant and healthy cells.
Against this backdrop, the new nanoinjection-based system offers potential improvements in both safety and efficacy. The team has engineered thermally stable nanoarchaeosomes (NAs) encapsulating the widely used anticancer drug doxorubicin. These are loaded into SiNTs etched onto a silicon wafer, enabling precise intracellular delivery directly to cancer cells.
Laboratory tests demonstrated that the Nanoarchaeosome–Doxorubicin–Silicon Nanotube complex, or NAD-SiNTs, induced strong cytotoxicity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells while sparing healthy fibroblast cells. Researchers observed cell-cycle arrest and necrosis in cancer cells and reported a marked reduction in angiogenesis — the formation of new blood vessels that tumours rely on for growth and metastasis. The anti-angiogenic effect was linked to downregulation of key pro-angiogenic signalling pathways.
Crucially, the platform achieved a 23-fold reduction in the drug’s inhibitory concentration (IC50) compared with free doxorubicin, suggesting that therapeutic outcomes could be achieved at much lower doses. Lower dosing could translate into reduced cardiotoxicity, a major concern associated with doxorubicin, as well as lower treatment costs — factors particularly relevant in a country where financial burden prevents timely cancer care for many families.
Researchers emphasised that the nanoinjection mechanism allows sustained and localised drug release, enabling prolonged therapeutic activity inside cancer cells without exposing the rest of the body to high levels of the drug. Early results, they said, provide promising evidence that the platform could improve the therapeutic index of existing anticancer drugs.
The immediate next phase of the project will focus on in vivo validation, long-term toxicity evaluation and regulatory assessments. The team plans to advance toward preclinical and clinical translation after establishing safety and stability. If successful, the platform could be adapted for other solid tumours and multiple chemotherapeutic agents, potentially expanding its application beyond breast cancer, said the researchers.
For India, which is witnessing a rapid rise in breast cancer cases among younger women, innovations that improve access to safe and targeted therapies remain critical. Experts say that while early detection and screening must continue to be strengthened, advances in precision drug delivery hold promise for reducing treatment burden, improving survival and enhancing quality of life for patients living with cancer.
