Extracellular vesicles as delivery systems at nano-/micro-scale

• Published in: Advanced drug delivery reviews Vol. 179; p. 113910
• Main Authors: Fu, Peiwen, Zhang, Jianguo, Li, Haitao, Mak, Michael, Xu, Wenrong, Tao, Zhimin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Drug delivery; Drug Delivery Systems - methods; Drug Stability; Exosomes; Exosomes - metabolism; Extracellular vesicles; Extracellular Vesicles - metabolism; Humans; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System - chemistry; Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System - pharmacokinetics; Particle Size; Extracellular vesicles; Nanomaterials; Drug delivery; Exosomes
• ISSN: 0169-409X; 1872-8294; 1872-8294
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113910

Schematic illustrations of natural extracellular vesicles versus artificial particles en route to a next-generation drug delivery system. [Display omitted] •Biomechanical properties of extracellular vesicles (EVs) for drug delivery.•Rational designs to improve EVs as next-generation delivery platforms.•Research advances in loading methods for engineered EVs with their efficiencies.•Progresses and challenges in producing EVs for clinical therapeutics. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown significant promises as nano-/micro-size carriers in drug delivery and bioimaging. With more characteristics of EVs explored through tremendous research efforts, their unmatched physicochemical properties, biological features, and mechanical aspects make them unique vehicles, owning exceptional pharmacokinetics, circulatory metabolism and biodistribution pattern when delivering theranostic cargoes. In this review we firstly analyzed pros and cons of the EVs as a delivery platform. Secondly, compared to engineered nanoparticle delivery systems, such as biocompatible di-block co-polymers, rational design to improve EVs (exosomes in particular) were elaborated. Lastly, different pharmaceutical loading approaches into EVs were compared, reaching a conclusion on how to construct a clinically available and effective nano-/micro-carrier for a satisfactory medical mission.