IIT Madras Develops Nano-Injection for Targeted Breast Cancer Cells Treatment

Chennai, December 24, 2025 - Scientists at IIT Madras have achieved a significant breakthrough in making breast cancer treatment safer, more precise and cost-effective. In collaboration with researchers from Monash University and Deakin University in Australia, IIT Madras has developed a state-of-the-art nano-injection drug delivery platform that delivers cancer drugs directly to cancer cells.

Unlike conventional chemotherapy, where the drug spreads throughout the body and affects healthy cells, this new technology targets cancer cells specifically. Scientists have solved this problem using a silicon nanotube-based system. It delivers the anticancer drug doxorubicin directly into cancer cells using thermally stable nanoarchaeosomes (NAs) loaded into vertically aligned SiNTs etched onto a silicon wafer.

Results after experiments showed that the NAD-SiNTs (Nanoarchaeosome-Doxorubicin–Silicon Nanotubes) induced strong cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. At the same time, healthy fibroblasts were spared.

This is believed to be a major stride toward potentially redefining how cancer drugs are delivered—making them smarter, safer and accessible for all.

Key Features

• Delivers the drug 23 times more effectively than chemotherapy, even at lower doses.
• Reduces treatment costs and minimises side effects for patients.
• Prevents cancer cells from growing, effectively destroying them.
• Offers hope for India, where expensive cancer treatments are often out of reach for many patients.

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