In situ sustained release hydrogel system delivering GLUT1 inhibitor and chemo-drug for cancer post-surgical treatment

Systematic administration of small molecular drugs often suffered from the low efficacy and systemic toxicity in cancer therapy. In addition, application of single mode drug usually leads to unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes. Currently, developing multimodal-drug combination strategy that acts on different pathways without increasing side effects remains great challenge. Here, we developed a hydrogel system that co-delivered glycolysis inhibitor apigenin and chemo-drug gemcitabine to realize combination strategy for combating cancer with minimal systemic toxicity. We demonstrated that this system can not only eliminate tumor cells in situ, but also induce abscopal effect on various tumor models. These results showed that our study provided a safe and effective strategy for clinical cancer treatment. [Display omitted] •Hydrogel loaded with the glycosidase inhibitor apigenin and chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine enhances the drug's half-life, intensifies the inhibition of the glycolytic pathway, and severs the tumor's energy source.•Hydrogel for in-situ tumor treatment extends the drug's efficacy period, reduces systemic circulation loss and overall toxicity, regulates the tumor microenvironment, and maximizes therapeutic effects.•Demonstrated through metastatic and re-injection models, this sustained-release system not only eliminates tumors in situ but also induces extracorporeal effects.