Smart Hydrogel for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Wenfeng Jiao, Xueya Wang, Hui Xu, Yang Fei, Yong Jin · MDPI AG · 2026
Smart hydrogels show promise for targeted drug delivery in rheumatoid arthritis treatment, addressing limitations of conventional therapies.
Plain English summary
Why this matters
Key findings
- Smart hydrogels have unique three-dimensional hydrophilic networks.
- They offer excellent biocompatibility and tunable properties.
- Stimulus-responsive mechanisms enable controlled drug delivery.
- Temperature-responsive and multi-responsive hydrogels are particularly promising.
- Challenges include long-term biocompatibility and scalable manufacturing.
What's new
The review provides a comprehensive overview of the design principles and preparation strategies for smart hydrogels specifically tailored for RA treatment.
Limitations
The review acknowledges challenges in clinical translation, including insufficient long-term biocompatibility data and difficulties in scalable manufacturing.
Commercial context
The clinical translation of smart hydrogels faces significant challenges that need to be addressed before commercial application.
Publication
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Publication date
- March 4, 2026
- Research type
- Paper
- License
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Tags
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