This page catalogs companies developing exosome-based or extracellular vesicle (EV) therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease. Exosomes are small vesicles (30-150nm) that naturally cross the [blood-brain barrier](/entities/blood-brain-barrier) and can be engineered to deliver therapeutic cargo — including siRNA, ASOs, small molecules, and proteins — to target brain cells["kalluri2020"][sun2025].
Technology Platforms
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Overview
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)
This page catalogs companies developing exosome-based or extracellular vesicle (EV) therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease. Exosomes are small vesicles (30-150nm) that naturally cross the [blood-brain barrier](/entities/blood-brain-barrier) and can be engineered to deliver therapeutic cargo — including siRNA, ASOs, small molecules, and proteins — to target brain cells["kalluri2020"][sun2025].
Technology Platforms
EV-Mediated Drug Delivery
BBB Penetration: Exosomes cross the blood-brain barrier through receptor-mediated transcytosis (integrins, tetraspanins, transferrin receptors) and macropinocytosis
Targeting: Surface peptides (RVG for neuronal targeting, T7 for transferrin receptor) can be fused to tetraspanins
Cargo Loading: Electroporation for siRNA/ASOs; genetic engineering of producer cells for mRNA/protein
EV Biomarkers
Brain-derived exosomes in blood carry [Aβ](/proteins/amyloid-beta-protein), [p-tau](/biomarkers/p-tau-217), [alpha-synuclein](/proteins/alpha-synuclein), and [NfL](/proteins/nfl-protein)
L1CAM+/NCAM+ immunocapture isolates neuronal exosomes for diagnostic use
Manufacturing Platforms
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes
Engineered producer cell lines
GMP-scale isolation and characterization
Company Profiles
Capricor Therapeutics
| Attribute | Value | |-----------|-------| | Founded | 2005 | | Headquarters | San Diego, CA | | Ticker | NASDAQ: CAPR | | Platform | MSC-derived exosomes (CAP-2003) |
Capricor develops cell-derived extracellular vesicle therapeutics. Its lead candidate CAP-2003 (CK+EVs) is in development for inflammatory and neurological conditions. The company leverages proprietary isolation technology to produce clinical-grade EVs.
PureTech Health develops platform technologies for CNS drug delivery. Its internal pipeline includes LYT-100 (deupirfenone) for AD-related neuroinflammation. The company has established R&D capabilities in EV-based delivery systems.
Rationale: Enhanced brain penetration for therapeutics
Status: Research stage for EV platform
Evox Therapeutics
| Attribute | Value | |-----------|-------| | Founded | 2016 | | Headquarters | Oxford, UK | | Ticker | Private | | Platform | Exosome engineering (DeliverEX™) |
Evox Therapeutics develops exosome-based therapeutics using its DeliverEX™ platform. The company focuses on CNS delivery of RNA therapeutics and has partnerships with major pharma.
Pipeline: EV platform for CNS disease
Rationale: Exosomes enable crossing BBB and targeted CNS delivery
Codiak was a pioneer in exosome therapeutics with its engEx™ platform. The company developed exosome engineered with targeting moieties and loaded with therapeutic cargo. While the company underwent restructuring, its platform technology remains influential.