For decades, glioblastoma—a relentless and aggressive form of brain cancer—has carried a grim prognosis. Despite surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, 90% of patients succumb to the disease within two years of diagnosis. Now, Mass General Brigham (MGB) bioengineer Natalie Artzi, PhD, is pioneering a new approach that could transform outcomes: an adhesive hydrogel designed to deliver potent chemoimmunotherapy drugs directly to the tumor site. Her innovative solution is one of many promising advances in cancer research being led by investigators across MGB.

Artzi, who leads structural nanomedicine at MGB’s Gene and Cell Therapy Institute and is principal investigator of the Artzi Lab, notes, “The missing link in glioblastoma care has been targeted, sustained delivery of therapeutics.”

Her patented hydrogel, currently in preclinical testing, shows two distinct advantages over conventional treatments: its ability to remain anchored to the surgical cavity after tumor removal—releasing both FDA-approved and experimental drugs—and its capacity to train the immune system to recognize and destroy any lingering or recurring cancer cells. In a particularly aggressive and immunosuppressive animal model of glioblastoma, Artzi’s team achieved a remarkable cure rate exceeding 80% when combining local hydrogel-mediated delivery of chemotherapy and immune therapy.

“These are extraordinary results,” she says. “Even in preclinical models, we rarely see this level of response from a single therapeutic intervention.”

The hydrogel is applied—either via injection or spray—immediately after surgery. In the current model of care, residual cancer cells that evade surgical removal can begin to spread during the typical four-to-six-week recovery window before patients start radiation and chemotherapy. Systemic therapy alone often fails due to the blood-brain barrier, a natural defense that protects the brain from pathogens but also blocks many therapeutic drugs.

“Glioblastoma is like a ticking clock,” Artzi explains. “If you wait too long after surgery, you lose ground. Our system delivers a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy right where it’s needed, for as long as it’s needed.”

A crucial element of the therapy is its activation of natural killer (NK) cells—immune cells that provide an immediate response to cancer. The hydrogel also recruits T cells and modulates other immune actors that take longer to mobilize but provide long-term defense. This layered immune activation helps establish what Artzi calls “immune memory,” enabling the body to reject recurrent tumors.

“We’re not just treating the tumor—we’re teaching the immune system to recognize and eliminate it,” she says. “If the cancer returns, the immune system is already trained to fight back.”

Motivated to move this treatment from the lab into clinical trials with patients, Artzi launched SpideRx Biotechnologies in early 2025. “We’re inspired by Spider-Man,” she says with a smile. “Like his web, our hydrogel sticks to the surgical site and captures what’s left of the cancer.”

Now focused on building a team and raising funds, Artzi is working closely with the MGB Innovation team—a group of business development experts helping researchers bring transformative therapies to the clinic.

“There have been many questions, hypotheses, and challenges along the way,” says Artzi. “But that’s what drives us as scientists and engineers—making bold advances that can truly change lives. At MGB, we have the privilege of working alongside clinicians who share real-world patient needs. Our mission is to turn those needs into solutions.”