Bioprocess development for the production of exosomes for immunotherapeutic applications

Author

Román Baena, Carlos

Abstract

The use of nano systems for the advanced delivery of genes and drugs is an expanding area with great potential. Since artificial systems can provoke immunological responses, the interest in natural nano systems has grown enormously. The most promising are exosomes, which are a subtype of extracellular vesicles (EVs). These have intracellular communication functions with certain selectivity towards cells that come from their own lineage. Therefore, exosomes could be a good alternative as smart carriers for current treatments in different areas, such as cancer, infectious and monogenic diseases.
Most cells release extracellular vesicles, and therefore animal derived supplements for cell culture already contain an important amount of EVs. The production of exosomes for therapeutic purposes must be based on media and platforms depleted of exosomes, or even better, without components of animal origin. However, commercially available serum free media (SFM) are specific for each cell line, and therefore there are no SFM formulations for all cell lines and the existing ones are often too expensive due to the research involved in their development.
This work aims to explore different strategies to develop reproducible bioprocesses to manufacture specific and pure exosomes for immunotherapy.

Director

Fornaguera i Puigvert, Carlos
Lecina Veciana, Martí

Degree

IQS SE - Undergraduate Program in Biotechnology

Date

2021-09-07