Taking medications correct on time, in the right dose, and for the full course is often difficult for patients. Missed doses contribute to about 10% of hospitalizations and billions in avoidable costs in the U.S.

To address this, scientists at Rice University developed a new drug delivery platform called SABER (self-assembling boronate ester release). SABER is a peptide hydrogel that acts like a three-dimensional net, slowing the release of drugs through reversible chemical bonds. This allows drugs to stay in the body longer and work more effectively.

• A tuberculosis drug delivered via SABER worked better with a single injection than nearly daily oral doses over two weeks in mice.

• Insulin packaged in SABER controlled blood sugar in diabetic mice for six days, compared to just four hours with conventional dosing.

Because the hydrogel is made of amino acids, it naturally breaks down in the body without toxic byproducts. The platform could improve patient adherence, make treatments more effective, and enable more precise drug delivery including in cancer immunotherapy.

The research, led by Brett Pogostin (first author and Rice alum) with guidance from chemist Jeffrey Hartgerink and bioengineer Kevin McHugh, was published in Nature Nanotechnology.

Pogostin began developing the idea as a student, inspired by reversible chemical bonds used in glucose sensors. By applying this concept, he made the hydrogel “sticky,” slowing drug release. Ongoing work aims to expand SABER’s applications, from infectious diseases to cancer therapies.

The project received support from the National Science Foundation, NIH, CPRIT, and the Welch Foundation.

Source: https://news.rice.edu/news/2025/rice-scientists-develop-hydrogel-platform-long-lasting-precision-drug-delivery