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Tumor-targeted exosomes for delivery of anticancer drugs

Rajeswari Raguraman1, Dhaval Bhavsar1, Dongin Kim2

  • 1Department of Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA; OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.

Cancer Letters
|February 23, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Exosomes show promise as cancer drug delivery vehicles due to their natural properties and adaptability. However, challenges in large-scale production and stability hinder their clinical translation.

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Nanomedicine
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Exosomes are natural nanovesicles produced by cells, suitable for drug delivery.
  • Their properties, including size and low immunogenicity, make them ideal for targeted cancer therapy.
  • Exosomes can be engineered for enhanced drug loading and tumor-specific delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advances in exosome-based drug delivery for cancer treatment.
  • To highlight preclinical and clinical studies utilizing exosomes in oncology.
  • To identify challenges impeding the clinical application of exosome-based therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of preclinical and clinical studies on exosome-mediated cancer drug delivery.
  • Analysis of exosome properties and engineering strategies for therapeutic applications.
  • Evaluation of manufacturing, scalability, storage, and stability challenges.

Main Results:

  • Preclinical studies show potent anticancer activity of exosome-delivered therapeutics in vitro and in vivo.
  • Exosomes facilitate the delivery of chemotherapeutics, biologicals, and natural products.
  • Clinical trials remain limited due to production and stability issues.

Conclusions:

  • Exosomes represent a promising platform for cancer drug delivery with demonstrated preclinical efficacy.
  • Overcoming manufacturing and stability challenges is crucial for broader clinical adoption.
  • Further research is needed to translate exosome-based therapies into effective cancer treatments.
Keywords:
Drug deliveryExosomesExtracellular vesiclesNanomedicineTargeting

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