Development and evaluation of Radical Oxygen Species (ROS)-responsive drug delivery systems to prevent and cure inflammatory and hypoxic diseases.

The evolving landscape of medical research demands innovative breakthroughs to enhance disease treatments.

Smart drug delivery systems (DDS) are at the forefront of these innovations, offering precise drug release while combatting oxidative stress and harmful species.

ROSCURE-O2 (Radical Oxygen Species (ROS)-responsive drug delivery systems to prevent and cure inflammatory and hypoxic diseases), is a pioneering proposal focusing on engineering ROS-responsive DDS with anti-inflammatory and anti-hypoxia properties.Inflammation profoundly affects global health, contributing to various skin and wound conditions, including radiation-induced skin injuries (RISI).

RISI arises from healthy cells' exposure to ionizing radiation used in cancer radiotherapy, leading to issues ranging from mild skin reactions to severe burns, ulcers, infections, and necrosis, impacting the quality of life for over 95% of radiotherapy patients.ROSCURE-O2 aims to develop innovative treatments for inflammatory conditions by targeting ROS and hypoxia precisely.

The hypothesis posits that multifunctional DDS can (1) scavenge ROS, (2) selectively release anti-inflammatory drugs, and (3) deliver oxygen in ROS-rich environments, thus preventing and curing inflammatory diseases.

This triple therapeutic approach seeks to overcome the limitations of conventional treatments.Within ROSCURE-O2 the development of a Smart DDS platform that can synergistically address ROS and hypoxia.

This involves polymeric DDS with ROS-responsive properties, provided by sulfur-based chemistries and/or antioxidant crosslinkers and the incorporation of oxygen-releasing and ROS-scavenging nanoparticles, like Cerium Oxide.

These nanoparticles can be combined with anti-inflammatory active pharmaceutical ingredients to increase treatment efficacy and reduce costs.

ROSCURE-O2's outcomes have the potential to advance our understanding of ROS-responsive drug delivery and tissue regeneration through oxygen delivery.