Disease-Targeted Exosome Modification Services

As a novel drug delivery system, surface modification and targeted delivery of exosomes are currently the focus area for many researchers, facilitating effective enrichment and maximizing the efficacy of therapeutic systems in focal areas. As an expert team in the exosome research and development field, Creative Biolabs has accumulated extensive project experience to provide exosome targeting solutions, whether involving targeting tissues and organs, or targeting focal regions.

Exosome Targeting

As natural vesicles that play a mediating role in cellular communication, exosomes are involved in a variety of biological functions under physiological and pathological conditions. In the development of targeted delivery strategies for therapeutic drugs, exosomes have been considered as highly promising delivery tools due to their unique advantages such as reduced immunogenicity, enhanced tissue permeability, deformable cytoskeleton, and similarity to cell membranes. However, the weak targeting properties of natural exosomes and their susceptibility to rapid clearance in vivo have limited the effectiveness of their encapsulated drugs, prompting research to improve the targeting properties of exosomes.

Surface modification to fabricate engineered exosomes is a modality with practical applications, providing a solution for precise targeting of therapeutics to the lesion. Commonly used engineering modifications in recent years include chemical linkage of targeting ligands/homing peptides, genetic engineering to modify exosomal membranes, magnetic nanoparticle technology, electrostatic interactions and post-insertion, with no effect on the proteins that play a decisive role in the biological function of exosomes. Peptide modifications based on membrane proteins as anchoring scaffolds and modification strategies based on encapsulated magnetic particles and electrostatic ion pairs have been screened to obtain several engineering strategies capable of manipulating the molecular composition of exosomes, greatly improving the capture of exosomes in the target region and the targeted release of drug effects.

Fig.1 Surface engineering of exosomes via genetic/biological manipulation or chemical modification. (Liang, 2021)

Exosome Display

Of particular interest as novel methods capable of manipulating exosomal protein composition, exosome display technologies enable soluble, membrane-bound, transmembrane or multimeric ligands, or homing peptides to be efficiently expressed on the surface of exosomes in their natural conformation. Specifically, targeted exosomes with target ligands or homing peptides are isolated by constructing fusion proteins or plasmids in which ligands/homing peptides are inserted into transmembrane proteins and then modifying the fusion proteins directly on the surface of exosomes or from donor cells after transfection with plasmids. With the discovery of many peptides homing to diseased tissues or organs via phage display and biopanning techniques, there is ample opportunity to explore the potential use of exosomes in targeted gene therapy.

Fig.2 Approaches for engineering exosomes displaying targeting ligands. (Liang, 2021)

Exosome Targeting Services at Creative Biolabs

It is particularly proposed that the selection of appropriate modifications based on a thorough understanding of molecular metastasis mechanisms and specificity in context has a critical impact on the establishment of optimal selective exosome uptake and intracellular distribution systems. Exploring the safe and effective engineering of modified exosomes is necessary due to potential risks such as immunosuppression and reversal of tumorigenesis. Creative Biolabs provides solutions for exosome targeting and for multiple applications, including but not limited to:

Surface engineering modification of exosomes has enabled them to meet standards in terms of yield and targeted therapeutics, creating great potential for the application of exosome-based precision therapy systems. Creative Biolabs has established a comprehensive platform for targeted exosome development including targeted peptide engineering technology, magnetic nanoparticle technology, and electrostatic interactions. By combining highly versatile delivery capabilities with sophisticated engineering modifiability, our advanced scientists team is able to deliver best-in-class exosome targeting solutions to advance exosome research and industrial translation. Please contact us to discuss your project.

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