Abstract

The multiple forms of cancer, which comprises over 200 different forms, remains a leading cause of death globally, with existing treatments encountering challenges in achieving satisfactory responses. While immunotherapy shows promise, it has low response rates and necessitates alternative or complementary strategies. Classical chemotherapy, which is widely used, is limited by significant side effects and efficacy constraints. Hence, novel therapies that leverage existing anticancer treatments, while addressing their limitations, are urgently needed. Exosomes, nano-sized vesicles (50–150 nm), play crucial roles in intercellular communication by transporting lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids derived from parent cells. This review explores the potential of exosomes in anticancer drug development, focusing on their roles in the tumor microenvironment, and discusses the challenges and strategies for drug development. Exosomes have been implicated in the tumor microenvironment by modulating cancer growth, metastasis, and drug resistance.

They mediate metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells, promote angiogenesis, and facilitate immune evasion, thereby contributing to tumor progression. However, exosomes exhibit antitumor functions by activating tumor-specific immune responses and suppressing cancer growth. Efforts to harness exosomes for drug development face several challenges, including exosome heterogeneity, standard isolation methods, mass production, and purification. Strategies to address these challenges include refining exosome isolation techniques based on size and biomarker profiles, advancing large-scale production technologies, and optimizing purification methods. In conclusion, despite the hurdles in exosome research and drug development, recent advancements in our understanding of exosome biology and technology offer promising avenues for anticancer therapy. Future research focusing on refining exosome-based therapies and overcoming existing challenges holds great potential for improving cancer treatment outcomes.

Keywords: Cancer therapy; Drug delivery system; Drug development; Exosome, Exosome-based therapy