Figure 8.

Opportunities for innovation and advancements in intratumoral delivery of immunotherapy-loaded hydrogels (“immunogels”). A) Improvements in next-generation sequencing and computational tools are enabling more detailed insights into the mutational landscape of tumors. Image-able hydrogels may thus enable targeting of identified regions of clonal heterogeneity or discrete microenvironments within the tumor using intraprocedural imaging for dose estimation and verification of on-target delivery of multiple drugs. B) Innovation and evaluation of advanced needles and catheters may enable greater control of intratumoral drug delivery including immunogels. C) The ability to deliver immunogels to regions of increased immunologic activity stimulated by locoregional therapies (e.g., the transition zone following thermal ablation) may potentiate local and systemic (abscopal) anti-tumor effects. Injection of hydrogels with or without entrapped immunotherapy could serve as antigen “sponges” or “reservoirs” that adsorb tumor antigens released during ICD-inducing locoregional therapy, prolonging antigen tumor residence time and promoting uptake by antigen presenting cells.