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Episode 8: Exosomes

Exosomes Know Where To Go: Using the Body's Own Cell-to-Cell Communication Network for Diagnostics and Drug Delivery

We speak with Uwe Gottschalk, the Chief Scientific Officer of Lonza, about how a better understanding of exosomes is leading to new treatments and diagnostic technologies.

 

According to Uwe Gottschalk, the exosome revolution is already in full march. As researchers begin to identify how these cell-generated, nano-sized delivery drones function in the human body, novel drug delivery prospects are emerging, including applications for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injury recovery. Perhaps even more exciting is the role exosomes will play in diagnostic applications in the near future, wherein a liquid biopsy, based on a blood sample, would detect cancer or other diseases both more easily and in a more timely fashion than traditional biopsies. One of the many challenges is the ongoing task of defining the manufacturing protocols and processes for this new biotechnological paradigm. Even so, the field is abuzz with new discoveries, trials and general optimism about the potential of these microscopic extracellular delivery vehicles.

Curious to Know More?

Lonza's Chief Scientific Officer gives us his expert insight into exosome research and application in this special, in-house episode of the podcast "A View On."

 

KEY TERMS:

Exosomes are nano-sized delivery vehicles generated by all eukaryotic cells. They are between roughly 30 and 120 nanometers large and originate when endosomes, or intercellular vesicles, are released into the blood, milk or tissue. They then become messengers and surrogates for the original cell. Their surface markers represent a location code and spread through the extracellular space in the body to communicate with other cells and deliver packages.

Extracellular vesicles (EV) are particles released from cells that cannot replicate but otherwise behave like the surrogate cells from which they originate. While there is some overlapping in definition between exosomes and EVs—all exosomes are extracellular vesicles but not vice-versa—exosomes are defined by their size (30 to 120 nm) and their biogenetic origin.

Liquid biopsy: As with a traditional biopsy, a liquid biopsy is a test to diagnose and monitor diseases that uses a blood sample instead of a tissue sample. As a liquid biopsy is not restricted to one tissue or part of the body, the test is less invasive, cheaper and even more precise.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) as a cancer biomarker:  Recent research has proven that mRNA from a blood test can be analyzed to find cancerous and pre-cancerous tumors throughout the body. As exosomes transport and stabilize the otherwise highly unstable mRNA, they could be targets for early detection and treatment in the near future. 

Episode 7: Microbiome

Bugs as Drugs: Harnessing the Therapeutic Potential of the Microbiome

Lukas Schüpbach, the CEO of Bacthera, and Gemma Henderson, Bacthera’s Head of Project and Portfolio Management, speak to Lonza about creating pharmaceuticals from the human microbiome.

 

The human microbiome, comprised of trillions of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea, is unique to each individual and develops over the course of lifetime, stabilizing once we reach adulthood. Despite the widespread understanding that this microbiome is a key component to our health, there are currently no commercially available live biotherapeutic products (LBPs). There is, however, an increasing amount of scientific evidence that using live biotherapeutic products to promote a vigorous microbiome can improve general physical health and positively impact quality of life by targeting diseases such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel syndrome and cancer. The biopharma company Bacthera is manufacturing and testing these difficult-to-produce anaerobic bacteria treatments that could improve metabolic functions and have anti-inflammatory effects. Alongside manufacturing, Bacthera is meeting the challenging delivery process to harness the therapeutic potential of the microbiome through easily administered, encapsulated pills.

Curious to Know More?

Listen to the conversation between Lonza and Bacthera in this episode of the podcast "A View On."

 

KEY TERMS:

Microbiome: The extremely diverse ecosystem of hundreds, sometimes thousands of different species of microbes found in and on the human body. Microbial biodiversity is key to a healthy microbiome. A poor microbiome is linked to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and possibly some central nervous disorders.

Live biotherapeutic products: These pharmaceutical products, LBPs for short, are unique because their active substance is actually a living organism. that has been identified as showing promise in treating one or sometimes several diseases.

Enclosed process: The manufacturing of LBPs necessitates special equipment and expertise since many of the microorganisms are anaerobes and spore-forming organisms. To ensure a robust process with high yields, the manufacturing must be entirely enclosed so that these strains are not exposed to oxygen.

Entrinsic strict delivery: As some microbes would not make it to the intestine by way of stomach acids, Bacthera has access to a proprietary technology that encapsulates the microbe to ensure targeted and precise delivery.  

Episode 6: Gene editing

Since the arrival of Crispr in 2009, gene editing has made its way into labs. Its groundbreaking importance was acknowledged through the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Expanding gene editing for medical treatments, Cellectis focuses its 20 years of experience on developing cancer immunotherapies.

Curious to Know More?

Cellectis CEO André Choulika explains the technology of allogenic gene editing they invented in this episode of the podcast "A View On."

Episode 5: Therapy administration and its safety

In 2016 Lonza established its Drug Product Services (DPS) to realize this supply chain model for its partners and clients. Since then the DPS has grown to a workforce of over 250 experienced experts focused on safety, efficacy and quality. To ensure that Lonza’s pharmaceuticals perform as expected in real-world situations, the DPS team simulates the entire administration process until certain the patient will receive the correct dose of the highest quality. 

Episode 4: Cannabinoid science

Cannabinoids are emerging as a treatment option for autoimmune and other immune-related diseases thanks to their modifications as synthetic derivatives. Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals has widened the potential application of cannabinoids by designing cannabidiol and cannabigerol derivatives that have a greater effect on the endocannabinoid system and can interact with receptors and pathways from other biosystems. Alain Rolland, COO of EHP, talks about using cannabinoids for unmet medical needs.

Episode 3: Mesenchymal stem cells for COVID-19 treatment

Mesoblast CEO Dr. Silviu Itescu speaks to Lonza about the company’s advanced portfolio of anti-inflammatory allogeneic cellular medicines including remestemcel-L, which is currently being evaluated in a U.S. Phase 3 randomized controlled trial for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the principal cause of mortality due to COVID-19 infection.

Episode 2: Cell-penetrating peptides for cancer treatment

One of the limitations of cancer therapy is off-target activity, which often has devastating effects on patients’ life quality. A novel strategy pursued by Cybrexa Therapeutics uses treatments specifically targeting solid tumors by taking advantage of one of their universal biomarkers – acidity. By using cell-penetrating peptides bearing an anticancer cargo load, their platform brings the treatment directly inside tumors, leaving healthy cells alone and minimizing bystander killings.

Episode 1: Bioprinting

Scientists have been printing cells for decades, but with the arrival of 3D bioprinters, getting printed tissue models to behave like living tissue has proved elusive. That is why angiogenesis and vascularization are two holy grails of 3D bioprinting. Allevi is not stopping at Earth-bound breakthroughs. The US company has also secured funding for simultaneous bioprinting experiments on the International Space Station.