Hydrogel Beads-based drug delivery systems rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects millions worldwide and significantly reduces patients’ quality of life by causing progressive joint destruction and systemic complications involving organs such as the lungs and heart. Conventional treatment strategies—including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and biologic agents are often limited by short half-lives, systemic toxicity, and poor targeting efficiency. To overcome these challenges, hydrogel-based drug delivery systems have emerged as promising carriers due to their high biocompatibility, tunable physicochemical properties, and ability to provide controlled, localized, and sustained release of therapeutics. This review summarizes recent advances in hydrogel formulations designed for RA therapy, emphasizing pH-responsive, enzyme-responsive, and injectable hydrogels that exploit the unique inflammatory microenvironment of RA. Additionally, the review elaborates on how these engineered hydrogels interface with RA pathophysiology to enhance drug delivery and therapeutic outcomes.