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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Hydrogels for Localized and Controlled Drug Delivery
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Hydrogels for Localized and Controlled Drug Delivery

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2026 | Viewed by 1281

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Roberta Censi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmacy, Drug Delivery Division, University of Camerino, CHIP Research, Camerino, Italy
Interests: pharmaceutical technology; formulation; biomaterials; hydrogels; nanoparticles; polymorphism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Cristina Casadidio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmacy, Drug Delivery Division, University of Camerino, CHIP Research Center, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, MC, Italy
Interests: biomaterials; polymer synthesis; hydrogels; nanoparticles; gene and drug delivery; therapeutics stability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels represent a rapidly advancing class of biomaterials with broad applicability in pharmaceutical sciences. Their highly hydrated, tunable three-dimensional networks allow for the encapsulation of diverse therapeutic agents, ranging from small molecules to biologics, while enabling spatiotemporally controlled release. This Special Issue will focus on recent progress in hydrogel design and functionalization aimed at improving drug stability, release kinetics, and site-specific delivery. Particular emphasis will be given to smart or stimuli-responsive hydrogels, injectable and in situ forming systems, hybrid and nanocomposite formulations, and advanced crosslinking strategies. Contributions addressing mechanistic insights into drug–matrix interactions, scale-up and manufacturing considerations, and translational studies bridging preclinical models to clinical applications are especially welcome. By consolidating innovative approaches across pharmaceutics, polymer chemistry, and biomedical engineering, this Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of hydrogel-based platforms as next-generation drug delivery systems.

Dr. Roberta Censi
Dr. Cristina Casadidio
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hydrogels
  • drug Delivery
  • cancer
  • tissue engineering
  • wound healing

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 4079 KB  
Article
Development of Drug-Loaded Gelatin-Based Hydrogel Films for Impaired Wound Healing in Simulated Chronic Conditions
by María del Carmen Morán, Alessia Cocci Grifoni, Francesca Cirisano and Michele Ferrari
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(1), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18010043 - 29 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 989
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Chronic wounds are considered a silent epidemic, affecting a significant portion of the global population and often leading to severe complications. In particular, wounds resulting from burns or trauma can give rise to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a form of skin [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Chronic wounds are considered a silent epidemic, affecting a significant portion of the global population and often leading to severe complications. In particular, wounds resulting from burns or trauma can give rise to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a form of skin cancer that arises under chronic inflammatory conditions. This study aims to develop and evaluate pH-responsive gelatin-based hydrogel films incorporating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for targeted treatment of SCC in chronic wound environments. Methods: Hydrogel films were formulated using gelatin and loaded with 5-FU. The design leveraged the pH differences between healthy skin and chronic wounds to enable stimuli-responsive drug release. The hydrofilms were characterized by evaluating their surface properties, including transparency, contact angle, and nanoscale morphology. In vitro swelling and dissolution behaviors were analyzed under varying pH conditions. Hemocompatibility was assessed through standard blood interaction assays. Cytotoxicity and selective toxicity were tested using both non-tumoral and tumoral representative skin cell lines. Results: The hydrogel films demonstrated pH-dependent swelling and dissolution, aligning with the neutral and basic environment of chronic wounds. Surface analysis revealed suitable transparency, wettability, and nanoscale uniformity for wound application. In vitro studies showed excellent hemocompatibility. Cytotoxicity assays confirmed good selective toxicity against the A431 skin carcinoma cell line, with minimal effects on healthy cells. Conclusions: The developed gelatin-based hydrogel films exhibit promising characteristics for targeted SCC therapy in chronic wounds. Their pH responsiveness, biocompatibility, and selective antitumor activity support their potential as effective and safe delivery systems. This platform may offer a novel therapeutic approach for managing malignancies arising in non-healing wound environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogels for Localized and Controlled Drug Delivery)
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