Injectable oxygen-generating nanocomposite hydrogels with prolonged oxygen delivery for enhanced cell proliferation under hypoxic and normoxic conditions.

We describe a new organic peroxide-based injectable biomaterial that was prepared by using benzoylperoxide and LAPONITE® incorporated into an alginate hydrogel (BPO-AlgL). BPO-AlgL shows sustained release of O2 over a period of 14 days and reduces the hypoxia-induced cell death. BPO-AlgL also promotes enhanced cell viability by providing sustained O2 within the 3D AlgL scaffold. In addition, BPO-AlgL increases the O2 level in the environment of the cells, which led to a decrease in the proliferation of malignant cells, while it also resulted in an increase in the viability of healthy fibroblast cells. Therefore, our new oxygen generating organic peroxide-based injectable 3D biomaterials have potential to contribute in the development of next generation advanced tissue engineering biomaterials.