Tobias Tertel, PhD Student
Universitätsklinikum Essen
Essen, Germany
The ISCT Annual Meeting, held this year in Paris, featured a significant event called the "Exosomes Translation Event," which focused on extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their potential in therapies. This event brought together a range of experts in the field, shedding light on the opportunities and challenges in EV therapies, which are a part of cell and gene therapies (CGTs).
The Exosomes Translation Event commenced with enlightening discussions led by Sai Kiang Lim and Bernd Giebel. With her extensive research background in EV therapeutics, Lim elucidated the audience on the distinctions between cell therapeutics and EV therapeutics. Further enriching the knowledge shared was Clotilde Théry, who explored the intricacies of EV separation and uptake, concluding her talk with an inspiring question-and-answer session.
A collaborative session between the ISCT and the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) showcased a synergy of perspectives on the therapeutic distribution of EVs. Charles Lai presented on cancer EVs, followed by Guillaume van Niel, who shared his expertise on the biodistribution of EVs using a Zebrafish model. Kenneth Witwer then addressed the less-explored area of EV pharmacokinetics. Carrying forward the momentum of these enlightening presentations, Bas van Balkom analyzed various published MSC-EV proteome profiles, unveiling a collection of proteins common to independent MSC-EV preparations. His insights on the proteomic approach to analyzing this heterogeneity offered attendees a novel viewpoint.
Mitsuo Watanabe of FUJIFILM Wako provided an industry perspective on the collaborative relationship between academia and industry in the advancement of EV research. He presented FUJIFILM Wako's lipid-based EV isolation technology.
However, the journey from the laboratory to clinical application presents its challenges. In a panel discussion featuring Bernd Giebel, Sai Kiang Lim, and Davide Zocco, along with the active contributions of Daniel Weiss and Eva Rohde, these potential roadblocks were explored, including fragmented regulatory frameworks and the high costs associated with advanced therapies. The discussion also centered around the crucial steps required for clinical adoption and the future of EV research.
The Exosomes Translation Event underscored the shared goal of researchers and clinicians across borders: to bring innovative EV therapies to patients worldwide. The dedication and commitment of the speakers, panelists, and approximately 150 attendees showcased the promising future of this evolving field.
In line with their commitment to sharing information and insights, the ISCT Exosomes Committee plans to publish a proceedings paper in Cytotherapy, offering a more detailed exploration of the presentations and discussions from the event. Additionally, it is worth noting that the committee has actively worked to overcome barriers in translating EVs from bench to bedside. They have recently organized a mini-series on this topic in Cytotherapy, providing a comprehensive examination of the current state of the field. The mini-series is accessible at: https://www.isct-cytotherapy.org/current#ExosomesMiniSeries.
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