Exosome Engineering for Targeted Therapy: Tools and Techniques

Abstract: Exosome-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a transformative approach in cancer therapeutics, offering innovative solutions to overcome the limitations of conventional treatment modalities. Exosomes, nanoscale lipid bilayer vesicles naturally secreted by cells, exhibit unique properties such as intrinsic targeting capabilities, biocompatibility, and the ability to traverse biological barriers, making them ideal candidates for drug delivery. Their capacity to encapsulate diverse therapeutic payloads, including proteins, RNA, small molecules, and gene-editing tools, has catalyzed the development of novel cancer treatment strategies. This study highlights recent advancements in exosome engineering, including surface modification techniques to enhance targeting specificity, optimization of biogenesis pathways, and improvements in therapeutic cargo encapsulation. Key challenges, such as scalable production, delivery safety, and consistent drug loading, are addressed. By leveraging exosomes' natural properties, researchers are advancing precision oncology, enabling personalized, effective cancer therapies with reduced systemic toxicity. The ongoing progress underscores the translational potential of exosome-based platforms as next-generation therapeutic modalities, paving the way for more targeted, efficient, and patient-specific cancer treatments.