Development of engineering method of exosomes for safety in clinical application

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15443
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Physical pharmacy
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Warashina Shota 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命機能科学研究センター, 研究員 (30755393)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: エクソソーム / DDS / PETイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Exosome, a particle secreted from a variety of cell types, is expecting to be a new modality of drug such for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and infection because exosome could be taken up by other tissues and regulate functions of the tissues in addition to ease of large-scale production. However, side effects of exosome-based drugs have not been well investigated. The aim of this research is to develop constructing method of ‘safe exosome’ whose risk of side effects is attenuated. To data, methods for detailed evaluation of exosome pharmacokinetics (real-time live imaging in body) and for exosome modification of outer and inner phases which might include risk factors of side effect (compatible with character preservation of original exosome such as size, surface charge, and protein affinity), has been investigated, and a part of the achievement was demonstrated as conference presentations and original paper (Shota Warashina et al., Int. J. Pharm., 624, 121968, 2022).

Free Research Field

Drug Delivery System、PETイメージング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

副作用の低減を目指したエクソソーム改変の研究、特に、膜表面への機能性分子の修飾に関する検討は、エクソソームの安全性を追求しただけに留まらず、医薬品としてエクソソームを用いる利点（動態特性）を最大限活かすことも重要視したことで、今後、エクソソーム改変の研究を行う上で基盤となる技術・考え方になると考えている。また、研究の一環として開発した、PETイメージングを基としたエクソソームの動態評価法は、これまで詳細な解析がなされていなかったエクソソームの体内動態をより深く理解する上で有用であり、医薬品としてのエクソソームの研究開発の場において非臨床・臨床問わず貢献することが期待される。