Abstract

An Implantable Microfluidic Drug Delivery Device for Individualized Cancer Treatment

Peiyi Song, Student, Nanyang Technological University

Cancer patients nowadays suffer from serious side effects and unpleasant experience when treated with chemotherapy drugs. Conventional drug delivery methods including drug pills/capsules, topical drug gels/drops and drug injections are too simple thus incapably providing a controllable and efficiency drug delivery to tumor. For a new drug delivery method, implantable drug delivery devices open a new horizon for chemotherapy. Through device implantation locally onto disease site, high efficiency drug delivery can be achieved. Gaining techniques from microfluidics, precisely manipulation of drug fluids by the device offers great advances for treatment. In our study, an electrochemical actuated microfluidic drug delivery device was fabricated and studied in vitro and in vivo. Cultured pancreatic cancer cell colonies were successfully inhibited by programmable Doxorubicin chemo-therapies controlled by devices. Further, 12 devices were implanted into 12 Kunming mice for evaluation of biocompatibility and drug delivery performance. Tissue biopsy and blood sample analyses indicated all 12 mice remaining healthy after devices implantation. We demonstrate the device can be successfully used for drug delivery therapy under implantation settings upon comparing its effectiveness with the conventional intravenous injection method.