#BIOSPAIN2026 | Encapsulation technologies: Driving the next generation of therapies

Biomedical innovation is undergoing one of the most significant transformations of recent decades. For many years, pharmaceutical development has focused on discovering new molecules capable of treating increasingly complex diseases. However, the evolution of personalised medicine is demonstrating that the effectiveness of a treatment depends not only on its active ingredient, but also on the ability to deliver it to the right place, at the right dose and at the right time.

This shift in perspective is redefining the way pharmaceutical innovation is understood. Developing new therapies is no longer enough; it is equally important to design the technologies that enable them to reach their full potential. In this new landscape, encapsulation and controlled drug delivery systems are playing an increasingly strategic role, becoming an essential component of safer, more effective and more personalised medicine.

Personalised medicine seeks precisely this objective: to tailor treatments to each patient's biological characteristics in order to maximise efficacy while minimising side effects. Achieving this goal requires technologies capable of precisely controlling how active pharmaceutical ingredients behave within the body. This is where controlled drug delivery technologies move beyond being a complementary tool and become a cornerstone of biomedical innovation.

Their contribution goes far beyond simply transporting a therapeutic compound. These platforms protect sensitive molecules, extend their activity, reduce toxicity, control drug release and target specific tissues, improving both the safety and effectiveness of treatments. The ability to minimise exposure of healthy tissues while reducing systemic adverse effects represents one of the most important advances at a time when personalised therapies have become both a scientific and clinical priority.

From our experience at i+Med, we have seen how these technologies are creating new opportunities to develop high-value biomedical solutions. Their greatest strength lies in their versatility and their ability to address a wide variety of therapeutic needs, demonstrating that a single technology platform can be adapted to very different clinical challenges.

At i+Med, this expertise is built around four core technology platforms: hydrogels, nanohydrogels, coatings and nanocarriers. Although each platform serves specific applications, they all share the same objective: to develop sustained drug delivery systems that improve treatment performance and expand therapeutic possibilities.

Interest in these technologies continues to grow across the scientific, clinical and industrial sectors. Smart hydrogels and nanohydrogels enable the design of systems capable of responding to specific biological stimuli and releasing active compounds in a controlled manner. Active coatings provide biomedical devices and surfaces with new functionalities, promoting better tissue integration while supporting regeneration and infection prevention. Nanocarriers—including liposomes and lipid- and polymer-based nanoparticles, among others—offer effective solutions to improve the stability, bioavailability and targeted delivery of complex therapeutic compounds.

Despite their technological differences, all these platforms share a common purpose: addressing the major challenges of modern medicine through treatments that are more precise, safer and more effective. Their ability to be adapted to fields as diverse as oncology, regenerative medicine, chronic diseases, cell and gene therapy, and the development of innovative biomedical devices demonstrates both their remarkable versatility and their capacity to drive new therapeutic strategies.

The versatility of our technology platforms is also reflected in European projects such as UNLOOC (Unlocking the Data Content of Organ-on-Chips), in which i+Med is developing polymer-based bioinks for a new Skin-on-Chip model designed to assess transdermal drug delivery, skin penetration and the toxicity of new treatments. This project demonstrates how expertise in advanced biomaterials can be applied not only to controlled drug delivery systems but also to innovative experimental platforms that make biomedical research more efficient and predictive.

Beyond this example, our experience confirms the enormous potential of these technologies. At i+Med, we have developed a range of solutions that have successfully progressed from the laboratory to preclinical and clinical settings, demonstrating their ability to address a wide variety of medical needs.

One such development is an injectable controlled-release product that enables an anticancer agent to be delivered directly into the tumour. The encouraging results obtained in preclinical studies highlight the advantages of this approach, which combines local administration with sustained drug release to optimise therapeutic efficacy while improving the safety profile of selected oncology treatments.

Another noteworthy example is our injectable thermosensitive mucoadhesive hydrogel, developed by i+Med to prevent chemotherapy-induced hearing loss in paediatric patients. Its progression into clinical trials demonstrates that controlled drug delivery technologies can contribute not only to treating disease but also to reducing the impact that certain therapies have on patients' quality of life.

This is complemented by the development of a thermosensitive hydrogel designed for the controlled delivery of therapeutic agents to promote tissue regeneration following endoscopic procedures, which is currently undergoing clinical evaluation. This project reflects the growing role of smart biomaterials in the design of minimally invasive medical solutions.

The future of biomedical innovation will not be built exclusively on the discovery of new molecules and therapeutic targets. It will also rely on the integration of technologies capable of making therapeutic agents more effective, safer, accurately delivered to their intended site of action and, ultimately, enabling truly personalised therapies.

In this context, encapsulation and controlled drug delivery technologies will evolve from supporting tools into one of the strategic pillars of pharmaceutical and biomedical innovation. Ultimately, transforming scientific knowledge into tangible benefits for patients depends not only on discovering new therapies, but also on ensuring that they are delivered under optimal conditions and precisely where they can make the greatest difference.