Exosome-like systems: Nanotechnology to overcome challenges for targeted cancer therapies

Exosomes are natural extracellular nanovesicles (30-150 nm in diameter) with the ability to interact with and be taken up by specific cells. They are being explored as delivery systems and imaging agents for biomedical purposes owing to their biocompatibility, biostability in extracellular biofluids, and organotropic properties. However, their usefulness, efficacy, and clinical application are limited by certain critical parameters, including the need for more robust and reproducible manufacturing processes, characterization, quality control assessment, and clinical studies. Recently, exosome-like systems have emerged as alternatives for overcoming the limitations of natural exosomes. These systems are based on surface engineering approaches and nanoscale platforms that offer a deeper understanding and allow for more exhaustive standardization compared with natural exosomes. By combining the latest knowledge related to exosome research with the most promising developments in nanotechnology, exosome-like systems can be developed as a competitive approach for innovative targeted anti-cancer therapies. This review aims to provide a critical overview of the latest advances in designing and testing innovative exosome-like systems and the most promising modalities that can be translated into the clinic. Future perspectives and challenges in this field are discussed.

Automated summary

This article introduces the characteristics of exosomes and their application in the field of biomedical research. However, there are still limitations in manufacturing processes, quality control, and clinical studies. In recent years, exosome-like systems based on surface engineering and nanoscale platforms have been developed to overcome these limitations. By combining the latest knowledge of exosome research with promising developments in nanotechnology, innovative targeted anti-cancer therapies can be developed. This article provides a critical overview of the design and testing of innovative exosome-like systems and discusses the most promising modalities that can be translated into the clinic, as well as future perspectives and challenges in this field.