Development of Targeted Exosomes for Drug Delivery

Exosomes have great potential to deliver drugs due to its low antigenicity. However, low yield and lack of targeting capability have hindered its application. This study aimed at creating a biomanufacturing platform of cancer-targeted exosomes. First, we created a scalable, high-productivity, cell line-based monoclonal antibody tagged exosomes (mAb-Exo) production process, and characterized the product with transmission electron microscopy, NanoSight and Western blotting. Second, we confirmed the cancer-specific targeting using flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy and using live animal imaging system. Finally, we loaded Romidepsin, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, in mAb-Exo and validated the targeted drug delivery capability in tumor xenograft animal model by testing the cancer targeting specificity and anti-cancer efficacy. We developed new technique enabling targeted drug delivery.