Researchers from the University of Hong Kong have developed a new therapeutic technology consisting of swarms of microrobots to treat cancer by delivering treatment directly to tumor sites, providing greater precision. Unlike traditional methods relying on passive diffusion or bloodstream circulation, these microrobot swarms actively navigate complex biological environments to deliver therapeutic agents directly to tumors, reducing off-target effects and enabling real-time monitoring. The swarms can perform multiple functions simultaneously, such as drug delivery, imaging, and hyperthermia, adapting to dynamic environments for precise cancer treatment. Professor Jiangfan Yu, the team leader, explained that the new therapy focuses on three main strategies: eliminating tumor cells, tumor infiltration, and modulating tumor immunity. While conventional chemotherapy targets malignant cells, its systemic toxicity and lack of specificity cause significant side effects to healthy tissues. The study designs advanced microrobots to deliver targeted chemotherapy and multimodal therapy combining gene therapy, oncolytic viruses, and phototherapy.

Traditional nanomedicines mainly rely on passive diffusion, with evidence showing only about 0.7% of administered nanomedicines reaching solid tumors, limiting effectiveness. In contrast, microrobot swarms combine advantages of traditional nanocarriers, such as drug protection, selectivity, and active propulsion, greatly improving targeted drug delivery over both long and short distances. These microrobot swarms hold tremendous potential to revolutionize cancer treatment by enabling precise drug delivery, accurate targeting, and real-time therapy monitoring. However, to fully realize clinical potential, ongoing research is needed to address existing challenges, including significant concerns about biocompatibility, toxicity of materials, such as release of harmful ions from metallic nanoparticles, and immune clearance.