A novel NAD-SiNT platform combines nanoarchaeosome-encapsulated doxorubicin with vertically aligned silicon nanotubes to deliver the drug directly into cancer cells, reducing off-target effects.

In vitro and ex ovo studies show strong cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells while sparing healthy fibroblasts, inducing cell-cycle arrest and necrosis in cancer cells.

Long-term drug release extends up to about 700 hours with high biocompatibility and no burst release, addressing common toxicity concerns of conventional nanocarriers.

Researchers project translation of this patented technology within the next five years.

Key contributors to the study include Kaviya Vijayalakshmi Babunagappan, Subastri Ariraman, Jann Harberts, Vimalraj Selvaraj, Mukilarasi Bedatham, Narendran Sekar, Nicolas H. Voelcker, Roey Elnathan, and Swathi Sudhakar.

The research, published in Advanced Materials Interfaces, involves multiple international collaborators and is supported by IIT Madras–Deakin Joint Research Initiative, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the Australian Research Council.

Collaborators include researchers from Monash University and Deakin University in Australia.

The study appears in Advanced Materials Interfaces, a peer-reviewed journal focused on functional materials and surfaces for advanced technologies.

The team anticipates clinical use within five years, signaling a major step toward smarter, safer, and potentially more affordable cancer treatment.

Next steps include in vivo validation, long-term toxicity assessments, and regulatory planning to enable preclinical and clinical translation.

Proof-of-concept has been demonstrated in vitro and in chick embryo models, establishing safety and effectiveness for future precision nanomedicine development.

Roey Elnathan notes that in vivo validation and cross-cancer-type evaluation are planned to advance translational progress.