EXOKNOW program

Pioneering Industrial-Scale Exosome Production For Tomorrow’s Medicine

Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of Nature’s Nanoscale Messengers

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Moved from systemic to precision

Therapeutic development has progressively moved away from systemic, broad-spectrum approaches toward targeted precision delivery enabling therapeutic molecules to reach specific tissues, penetrate cells effectively, and regulate disease mechanisms while minimizing off-target toxicity

Therapeutic potential

Exosomes’ therapeutic potential stems from their unique delivery platform rather than their payload composition. Their endogenous origin, immunological compatibility, and intrinsic cellular uptake mechanisms enable them to overcome limitations commonly encountered with synthetic nanoparticles and viral vector systems.

Small vesicle, strong cargo

Exosomes are 30–150 nm extracellular vesicles generated through the endosomal pathway and secreted when multivesicular bodies fuse with the cell membrane.Exosomes arise through a controlled intracellular process that determines their molecular cargo. This cargo includes proteins, microRNAs, messenger RNAs, lipids, and metabolites, making exosomes a molecular fingerprint of their parent cell.

The Medical Revolution in Miniature

The therapeutic potential of exosomes is transforming multiple fields of medicine. As natural drug delivery vehicles, they can cross biological barriers that synthetic nanoparticles cannot, including the blood-brain barrier. Their intrinsic biocompatibility and low immunogenicity make them ideal candidates for personalized medicine approaches.

Current applications under development include: 

– Regenerative medicine: exosomes derived from stem cells promote tissue repair without the risks associated with cell transplantation

– Cancer therapy: engineered exosomes deliver targeted chemotherapy while minimizing systemic toxicity

– Neurodegenerative diseases: Modified exosomes transport therapeutic molecules across the blood-brain barrier

– Diagnostics: Exosome cargo profiles serve as liquid biopsy biomarkers for early disease detection

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The ExoKnow Project: Engineering Excellence at Scale

The ExoKnow initiative addresses a critical bottleneck in exosome therapy development: the transition from laboratory curiosity to clinical-grade therapeutic product.

Our project establishes a pilot production line utilizing HEK (Human Embryonic Kidney) cells adapted for suspension culture—a strategic choice that combines high exosome yield with scalability potential.

HEK293 cells have emerged as the gold standard for exosome production due to their robust growth characteristics, high transfection efficiency, and well-characterized safety profile in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. By adapting these cells to suspension culture, ExoKnow achieves: 

  • 10-fold higher cell densities compared to adherent cultures
  • Simplified scale-up from laboratory to industrial bioreactors
  • Reduced contamination risk through closed-system operation
  • Cost-effective production eliminating microcarrier requirements

Despite their promise, exosome manufacturing faces significant technical hurdles that ExoKnow systematically addresses:

  • Yield Optimization
  • Traditional cell culture methods produce insufficient quantities for therapeutic applications. A single dose may require exosomes from billions of cells. Our optimized bioprocess achieves cell densities exceeding 20 million cells/mL while maintaining exosome quality and functionality
  • Batch to batch consistency
  • Exosome heterogeneity poses regulatory challenges. Even from identical cell populations, exosome compositions vary with culture conditions, cell cycle phase, and metabolic state. ExoKnow implements stringent process controls and continuous monitoring to ensure reproducible production

The ExoKnow project represents more than technological advancement—it establishes the manufacturing foundation for exosome-based therapeutics to reach patients. By solving production challenges while implementing cutting-edge monitoring capabilities, we’re accelerating the journey from laboratory discovery to bedside application.


Our pilot line demonstrates that industrial-scale exosome production is not only feasible but economically viable. As we refine these processes and expand capacity, ExoKnow paves the way for a new generation of biological medicines that harness the body’s own communication systems for healing.

ExoKNOW, a program co-funded by
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Région Pays de la Loire

GenSensor’s team thanks the ERDF program team