Australian company INOVIQ (ASX:IIQ) has unveiled new peer-reviewed data validating its proprietary exosome-based cancer platform, positioning the company at the forefront of next-generation cell-free therapies.
The study, published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE), showcases proof-of-concept results demonstrating that INOVIQ’s engineered CAR-T exosomes can kill breast and blood cancer cells in vitro.
The findings also highlight the scalability of the company’s EXO-ACE manufacturing platform, which enables automated, large-scale production of CAR exosomes. This is a crucial step in the clinical development process.
The technology builds on the promise of CAR cell therapies, which have already transformed treatment for several blood cancers but remain limited by severe side effects such as cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. INOVIQ’s approach replaces living cells with exosome vesicles, offering a potentially safer, more repeatable, and more versatile alternative.
Chief Scientific Officer Professor Greg Rice said the publication underscored both the rigour and potential of the platform. “Our proprietary EXO-ACE manufacturing process enables scalable production of engineered exosomes with potential safety, efficacy and cost advantages over autologous cell therapies,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer Dr Leearne Hinch added that the company was on track to deliver further evidence this year. “Our CAR-exosome therapies have the potential to transform cancer treatment with a cell-free approach to target and destroy solid tumours. We expect to report in vivo efficacy data for our CAR-NK-exosomes in a triple-negative breast cancer model by December 2025,” she said.
The peer-reviewed article, 'Enhancing Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Extracellular Vesicles (CAR-EV) Technology: The Future of Cancer Therapy', details how the EXO-ACE system can engineer and scale CAR-NK and CAR-T exosomes for both haematological and solid tumour applications. The platform allows fine-tuning of potency, including the ability to incorporate cytotoxic agents and RNA payloads.
The publication builds on data first presented at the International Society for Stem Cell Research in 2024 and released in an earlier ASX announcement. It marks a significant step in the company’s ambition to deliver “off-the-shelf” therapies that can overcome many of the barriers facing current cell-based cancer treatments.