Evolving transport properties of dynamic hydrogels enable self-tuning of short- and long-term cargo delivery

Abstract: Hydrogels are crosslinked polymer networks with high water content widely utilized in biomedical applications. Injectable depot-forming hydrogels for drug delivery offer sustained release of biomolecular cargo, leveraging controlled macromolecular diffusion within dynamic networks to promote extended immunity and favorable immunological responses. However, mitigating burst release while maintaining sustained-release properties remains a challenge due to network disruption during needle extrusion, leading to excessive short-term cargo release and local toxicity. While controlling both short- and long-term release profiles would mitigate this issue, it remains a persistent challenge. Here, we present a hydrogel formulation strategy for self-regulating, post-injection network evolution enabled by exchange of functional molecules with physiological environment, achieving controlled cargo release over both short and long durations. By tuning network viscoelasticity, we optimized rheological properties to minimize burst release while preserving sustained-release profiles. Using model protein cargo, in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated reduced burst release and comparable sustained-release to unmodified control formulations. These findings highlight a novel strategy for precise cargo delivery in biomedical applications.