Exosomes – VJRegenMed

Cardiosphere-derived cells in myocardial regeneration

admin_vjr_user — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 12:05:07 +0000

Linda Marban, PhD, Capricor Therapeutics, Beverly Hills, CA, introduces CAP-1002, an allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cell (CDC) therapy that promotes the regeneration of cardiac muscle by stimulating the release of exosomes, thus inducing endogenous repair mechanisms, a reduction in inflammation and ultimately, muscle tissue generation. Clinical trial data indicates that CAP-1002 therapy can result in significant improvements in cardiac and skeletal muscle in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). CDC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are also being investigated as a therapeutic given their tropism to cardiac and skeletal muscle and ease of storage and delivery. This interview took place during the American Society for Cell & Gene Therapy 24th Annual Meeting 2021.

The exosome landscape: quantification and reproducibility is key

admin_vjr_user — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 10:01:39 +0000

Sai-Kiang Lim, PhD, BA, A*STAR and National University of Singapore, Singapore, provides an overview of the current landscape of exosome-based therapy. Dr Lim notes that while data obtained thus far suggests exosome therapies are efficacious, the key challenge is understanding why and how they work. She highlights the importance of understanding the complexity of the exosome preparation and the need for robust manufacturing protocols to ensure reproducibility. While a number of clinical trials have already been initiated evaluating exosome-based therapies, Dr Lim anticipates that the number of trials will increase in the coming year. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.

The current landscape of unproven cell-based therapies

admin_vjr_user — Wed, 26 May 2021 16:33:43 +0000

Laertis Ikonomou, PhD, University at Buffalo & The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, provides an overview of the evolving landscape of direct-to-consumer marketing of unproven cell-based therapies, a challenge that has been facing the field of cell and gene therapies for a number of years. In line with advancements in the field in recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of unproven therapeutic products incorporating perinatal tissues and exosomes being offered to patients, as well as a rise in cell banking services offering the freezing of various tissues such as T-cells. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.

Exosomes: a game changer in mRNA-based therapeutics?

admin_vjr_user — Fri, 21 May 2021 17:21:49 +0000

Linda Marban, PhD, Capricor Therapeutics, Beverly Hills, CA, describes excitement around the use of exosomes as a drug delivery vehicle and the potential this technology holds for the development of mRNA-based therapeutics in the future. Membrane-bound exosomes can be easily directed to the site of injury and enter the cell to drive protein expression, making them useful tools for the delivery of biological contents and could replace lipid nanoparticles for such applications in the future. This interview took place during the American Society for Cell & Gene Therapy 24th Annual Meeting 2021.

Exosome-based mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2

admin_vjr_user — Fri, 21 May 2021 17:21:45 +0000

Linda Marban, PhD, Capricor Therapeutics, Beverly Hills, CA, describes ongoing research into a novel exosome-mediated, multivalent mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. While lipid nanoparticles have been used as drug delivery vehicles in other SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the use of exosomes could reduce toxicity, enhance the immune response and potentially allow repeat vaccine delivery, which may be necessary in the form of vaccine boosters. The use of a multivalent approach, incorporating both a spike and nucleocapsid protein into the vaccine candidate, could also help protect against more pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 variants in the future. This interview took place during the American Society for Cell & Gene Therapy 24th Annual Meeting 2021.

What to expect at ISCT 2021

admin_vjr_user — Thu, 13 May 2021 14:20:37 +0000

Bruce Levine, PhD, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, discusses future sessions at the International Society Cell & Gene Therapy Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, of which includes plenary sessions on mesenchymal stromal cells, COVID-19 trials, regulatory oversight, first in man exosome trials, and the applications of CAR-T/NK cells. This interview took place during the ESMO TAT 2021 conference.