Wang-Cai Seminar Series

Development of Bispecific Extracellular Vesicles for Cancer Immunotherapy & Introduction to PhD Program at NUS

Date & Time

Date: Friday, Mar 20, 2026

Time: 10:30-11:30 AM

Venue: WDR 1005

Speaker

Prof. Minh Le

Associate Professor, National University of Singapore

Abstract

We have developed a biocompatible and efficient bispecific extracellular vesicle (BEV) platform using natural EVs from human red blood cells. BEVs are surface-functionalized with antibodies targeting CD3 on T cells and tumor antigens on cancer cells, enabling localized immune activation. BEVs activate T cells as demonstrated by increased pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and upregulation of activation markers. BEVs induce stronger T cell responses than equivalent doses of free antibodies including bispecific antibodies, suggesting enhanced potency at lower therapeutic concentrations and reduced risk of toxicity.

BEVs targeting PD-L1 or Claudin-18.2 recruit activated T cells to tumor sites, significantly reduce tumor burden, and prolong survival in mouse models of immunosuppressive lung and pancreatic cancer, respectively. Importantly, systemic administration of BEVs demonstrates a favorable safety profile in non-human primates, with no evidence of cytokine release syndrome. Our engineering approach is rapid, stable, scalable and adaptable to multiple tumor antigens. This establishes a versatile EV-based immunotherapy platform with significant potential for clinical translation.

Bio
Dr. Minh Le is an Associate Professor, Graduate Program Director and Director of the Engineered Extracellular Vesicles for Anti-Cancer Therapy (EVANTICA) program at the Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Previously, she received a Ph.D. degree from the Singapore-MIT Alliance and trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her group has developed novel strategies to harness EVs from red blood cells and engineer EVs for targeted delivery. For this research, they have received multiple national and international awards. Dr. Le currently serves as a deputy/associate editor for the Journal of Extracellular Biology and Journal of Extracellular Vesicles.