Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer-enclosed, cell-derived nanoparticles, which include several subgroups such as exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies. EVs have been shown to play a pleiotropic role in various physiological processes and pathological conditions via intercellular communication. In addition, as endogenously derived nanoparticles, certain types of EVs, especially those from mesenchymal stem cells or cancer cells, are favored carriers to deliver therapeutics because of their low immunogenicity and high capacity of homing toward cancer cells. Increasing studies demonstrate that EVs are stable membrane vesicles under different pH values, temperatures, or freeze-thaw cycles, and these properties support their potential compliance with good manufacturing practice (GMP) in clinical use. Thus, EVs have quickly garnered considerable attention as promising vehicles for drug delivery.
Diverse techniques have been employed to encapsulate cancer therapeutics by EVs to develop effective tumor-targeting vehicles, and ongoing clinical trials are testing the safety and efficacy of EV-encapsulated therapeutics. This Collection focuses on the use of EVs for cancer drug delivery, including but not limiting to the choice of EV sources, the drug encapsulation techniques, and the assessment of delivery efficiency and efficacy, etc.