Augustas Pivoriūnas, MD, PhD

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are heterogeneous, lipid bilayer-enclosed vesicles that can act as transport vehicles for various biologically active molecules. Initially considered as an additional mechanism for the removal of cellular waste, EVs are now being increasingly recognized as a new mode for intercellular communication.

Although numerous pre-clinical studies over the past decade have demonstrated therapeutic potential of EVs, broad clinical application remains a distant goal. This is primarily due to two major challenges. First, large-scale manufacturing is required to produce the substantial quantities of EVs necessary for clinical applications, which may impact their composition and therapeutic properties. Second, developers of EV therapeutic products are expected to provide detailed information about their mode of action (MoA). Given the immense molecular complexity of EVs, determining their specific MoA often poses a significant challenge.

In the first part of my talk, I will introduce the audience to the exciting world of EVs. Next, I will present our recent advancements in developing new technology for large-scale EV production, suitable for preclinical and early-phase clinical trials targeting Parkinson’s disease. Finally, I will discuss our findings in the context of the challenges outlined earlier.