Incheon National University develops dual-target exosomes for cancer immunotherapy

A research team at Incheon National University has developed a new immunotherapy strategy using dual-target exosomes to combat solid tumors, such as breast cancer. The technology utilizes exosomes—nano-sized vesicles that facilitate intercellular communication—to perform two simultaneous functions.

First, the exosomes are engineered with ligands that physically link cancer cells to Natural Killer (NK) cells, allowing the immune cells to recognize and attack the cancer more effectively. Second, the exosomes facilitate the repolarization of macrophages, converting M2-type macrophages, which typically support tumor growth and suppress immunity, into M1-type macrophages that actively fight cancer.

In experiments involving breast cancer cells and animal models, the dual-target exosomes demonstrated a superior ability to reshape the tumor microenvironment and enhance NK cell-mediated anti-cancer responses compared to single-function exosomes. The study, led by Professor Wonjong Lee, was published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles.