Exosomes are cell-derived nanovesicles, which are usually 50-150 nm in diameter and are involved in the intercellular transportation of materials. Exosomes are capable in transferring various types of cargoes, including DNAs, RNAs, lipids, metabolites, and proteins. Till yet several thousands of different proteins, RNAs and lipid molecules have been identified in exosomes from different types of cells and from multiple organisms. Usually cell source determines the kinds of proteins that are secreted by exosomes and 80% of the proteins in exosomes are highly conserved among different cells.
In recent years exosomes have emerges as key component in cancer drug development and diagnostics. Engineered Exosomes (eExosomes) can be used to deliver desired small molecules, nucleic acid drugs and proteins to specific types of cells or tissues to realize targeted drug delivery.
eExosomes offers various advantages over synthetic nanoparticles (such as liposomes) with low levels of immunogenicity. Also, their size and lipid membrane composition make them ideal for fusion with target cells, where they can deliver their cargo while avoiding degradation. Nowadays, several approaches have been developed to load cargo into eExosomes, which includes genetically modification on the exosomes secreting cells to overexpress a particular cargo; physical incorporation of small functional RNAs using electroporation; or through chemical treatments of the cells themselves.
Future of exosome therapy includes combinations of targeted exosomes with anticancer drugs and high-precision cancer diagnostic probes to construct multifunctional platforms for in vivo tracking, prognosis monitoring and therapy.
Based on OmicsX Database, worldwide their are 40 Active Oncology Drug Developers developing Engineered Exosomes & Micro vesicles to develop effective Cancer Treatment.
This current article is an effort to highlight few selected start-ups and outline their efforts in developing exosome based cancer therapies.
Address – 3501 W Elder St, Suite 101,
Boise, Idaho 83705, United States
Founded in – 2020
Azymus Therapeutics is an early stage drug discovery company, developing therapeutic targeting neurodegenerative diseases and chemo-resistant cancers, by leveraging the power of its AZ™ Platform. Azymus therapies are produced by generating custom-designed microvascular particles that deliver optimized concentrations of specific proteins and genetic materials for therapeutic interventions. Thus, Azymus’s approach eliminates complex challenges posed by cell-based therapies, including massive scale-up to provide sufficient therapeutic cells and associated risks of engraftment and/or graft vs. host reactions.
Key Management – Christopher Jones, Chief Executive Officer
Technology Platforms – Azymus precision nanotechnology – AZ™ Platform generate a secretome triggered by a stem cell, cytokines, and growth factors. Pretreatment of primary human cells, with Azymus’s patented mediators, stimulates in-vivo micro-environment initiating secretion of exosomes. The therapeutic characteristics of each exosome undergo various modifications to address specific diseases by altering the formulation of mediators and the primary cell type.
Oncology Pipeline – Azymus is developing AZ002 a micro-vesicle based formulation with undisclosed oncotarget to target solid tumors. Azymus’s proof of concept (PoC) studies on AZ002 revealed the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism and mitochondrial bioenergetics as cellular mechanisms for evading cell death.
Address : San Francisco, CA,
United States
Founded in : 2020
EV Therapeutics is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class therapies based on modified tumor extracellular vesicles (mTEVs) to significantly transform cancer therapy and other unmet medical needs that are addressable with its proprietary technology platform.
Key Management – Subree Subramanian, , Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
Technology Platforms – EV Therapeutics has developed modified tumor extracellular vesicles (mTEVs) – a CD-28 – CD80/86 co-stimulatory pathway technology platform for designing novel Immune Checkpoint Blockade Combination Therapy, which significantly enhances immunotherapy efficacy in advanced late-stage metastatic colorectal cancers. Colorectal cancer cells secrete exosomes that carry immunosuppressive microRNAs (miR-424) that actually prevent T cell and dendritic cell function because they block key proteins (CD28 and CD80) on these immune cell types, respectively. Cancer cell secreted exosomes also contain tumour-specific antigens that can stimulate the tumour-specific T cell response.
Oncology Pipeline –EV Therapeutics is developing EV 101 an exosome based vaccine, without any immunosuppressive microRNAs, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, as a novel combination therapy in preclinical models with advanced-stage colorectal cancer, which proved effective.
Address -Medical Building A, 1071, Yangcheon-gu, Ewha Woman University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul 07985, Republic of Korea
Founded in – 2019
Exollence Biotechnology is a clinical stage biotech company, which focuses the use of all kinds of therapeutic substances whose effects have been confirmed as a payload on various types of exosomes.
Key Management – Kihwan Kwon, Chief Executive Officer.Technology Platform -Exollence’s SWEET™ (Shock Wave Exosome Engineering Technology) platform technology is designed for the production of target molecule-encapsulated exosome with high loading drug delivery efficiency using Extracorporeal Shock Wave (ESW).
Oncology Pipeline – Exollence’s is developing Exo-siR 102, a siRNA-loaded exosome, currently in preclinical development targeting solid tumors.
Address – 1507 Chambers RD, Suite 301
Columbus, OH, 43212
United States
Founded in – 2017
ExonanoRNA is preclinical stage nanotechnology company, developing exosomes-based drugs and innovative pharmaceutics based on its unique RNA nanotechnology platform for next generation targeted drug delivery and disease diagnosis.
Key Management – Pexiuan Guo, PresidentKey Technology – ExonanoRNA’s RNA NanoParticle Delivery System (RNP) creates a unique nano-scaffold conjugated with small therapeutic RNA molecules and chemotherapeutic drugs that result in extraordinary pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. The company is embedding RNA nanoparticles with targeting ligands on the surface of drug-carrying exosomes to synthesize exosomal RNA nanoparticle complexes of anti-tumor drug carriers. These exosomal RNA nanoparticle complex has the advantages of high targeting ability, non-toxicity, high thermal stability, easy to be metabolically degraded by the human body, and low immunogenicity.
Bio-Partnering – In March 2021, ExonanoRNA and MDimune entered into a service agreement to develop targeted siRNA therapy in oncology application.
Customized Largest Data Insights of Active Cancer Targeting Exosomes Drug Developers / Technology / Pipeline / Market Size is also available on request – sales@omicsx.com
