About the project
Improving oral health during cancer treatment
Oral mucositis is among the most frequent and debilitating side effects of cancer treatment. It causes persistent inflammation, painful lesions and ulcers in the mouth, difficulties with eating and drinking, and a higher risk of infection. It affects approximately 50% of patients receiving chemotherapy and up to 90% of those undergoing radiotherapy.
Despite its prevalence and significant impact on patients’ daily lives, current treatments do not remain in the oral cavity for long enough and do not address the multiple biological processes involved in the condition, which limit their overall effectiveness.
The ADHESYS approach
ADHESYS is developinga nature-based mucoadhesive filmdesigned to adhere to affected areas of the mouth and provide prolonged local therapeutic action.
A polyphenol-rich extract will be obtained from sustainable chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) pomace usingultrasound-assisted extraction. The extract will be encapsulated inbiopolymer-coated liposomesand incorporated into a3D-printed mucoadhesive filmto support controlled local delivery. This approach offers a reproducible and potentially scalable manufacturing method, while also allowing the design of patient-friendly dosage forms.
By delivering bioactive polyphenols directly to the affected area, ADHESYS seeks to harness their complementary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The project aims to move beyond symptomatic relief by promoting healing, improving oral health and quality of life for cancer patients, and potentially reducing healthcare costs associated with oral mucositis.
Objectives
ADHESYS aims to:
recover and usebioactive polyphenolsfromAronia melanocarpapomace, supporting the sustainable use of food by-products;encapsulate the polyphenols intobiopolymer-coated liposomesto support their stability and therapeutic performance;fabricate the nature-based, mucoadhesive film through3D printing;investigate a patient-friendly approach to local phyto-drug delivery in the oral cavity;generate a new supportive-care option that may promote oral mucositis healing in cancer patients.
