Engineered hydrogels for gastrointestinal therapeutics: Preclinical breakthroughs and clinical translation barriers

Hydrogels are widely regarded as pivotal biomaterials in modern biomedical applications. Their excellent biocompatibility, controllable degradation rates, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli make them especially valuable in the development of innovative strategies for disease management. Their unique advantages demonstrate significant potential for advancing targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and regenerative medicine applications. Among digestive disorders, gastrointestinal (GI) conditions present major clinical challenges owing to their substantial global prevalence and corresponding healthcare burdens. Although hydrogel-based platforms for GI applications have advanced significantly, their clinical translation remains limited. Major barriers include material-related constraints, challenges in in vivo application, difficulties in large-scale manufacturing, and complex regulatory requirements. This review comprehensively analyzes advances in hydrogel-based therapeutic approaches for GI disorders over the past 5 years. While highlighting persistent challenges in clinical translation, it proposes new research perspectives and potential solutions for disease management in this field.