Injectable in situ-forming hydrogels have been used clinically in diverse biomedical applications. These hydrogels have distinct advantages such as easy management and minimal invasiveness. The hydrogels are aqueous formulations, and a simple injection at the target site replaces a traditional surgical procedure. Here, we review injectable in situ-forming hydrogels that are formulated by physical and chemical methods to deliver proteins and peptides. Prospects for using in situ-forming hydrogels for several specific applications are also discussed.
This study was supported by a grant from Creative Materials Discovery Program through the National Research Foundation (2019M3D1A1078938) and Priority Research Centers Program (2019R1A6A1A11051471) funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).