Macrophages play an important role in cancer development and metastasis. Proinflammatory M1 macrophages can target cancerous cells, and therefore, can be engineered as drug carriers for tumor therapy. As a leading specialist in engineering macrophages, Creative Biolabs provides comprehensive R&D services of engineering M1 macrophages, macrophage-derived exosomes, and macrophage membranes as drug carriers.

Macrophages are immune cells involved mainly in innate and adaptive immunity. In response to inflammation, macrophages are activated. They concentrate at the inflammation site to phagocytose and digest cell debris and pathogens, as well as activate lymphocytes or other immune cells. A large number of macrophages infiltrates the tumor microenvironment, significantly affecting tumor growth and metastasis. These properties make them good carriers of small-molecule drugs, proteins and nucleic acids.

Fig.1 Applications of macrophage engineering service for drug delivery.

Long circulation time, abundant surface receptors, and active targeting ability of macrophages are the main advantages of biomimetically modified macrophage-based drug delivery systems. These delivery systems show great potential to overcome the short cycle time, low biocompatibility, and undesirable immunogenicity of common carrier materials. In recent years, the applications of macrophages as drug carriers with different properties have been significantly expanded.

Macrophage Engineering Service for Drug Delivery at Creative Biolabs

Given the role of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment, proinflammatory M1 macrophages can target tumors and phagocytose cancer cells. With an experienced team of in-house experts at macrophage development, Creative Biolabs has engaged in the development of macrophage-mediated drug delivery systems for many years.

Fig.2 State-of-the-art technologies for macrophage engineering.

Since the targeting of M1 macrophages comes from their surface membrane proteins, macrophage-derived exosomes can inherit the targeting ability of macrophages. Moreover, macrophage membranes can be extracted and engineered to coat different NPs to increase their targeting ability.

Engineering Macrophages as Drug Carriers

By leveraging the wealth of information on macrophage engineering, Creative Biolabs is pleased to help our clients with their project development in engineering macrophages as drug carriers. Given the complicated interactions between macrophages and their cargo, and the different effects of NPs of different sizes on macrophages, NPs with about 100 nm diameter are the best choice for loading drugs, due to an increased vector migration rate and effective absorption.

Engineering Exosomes as Drug Carriers

Featured with low immunogenicity, high biocompatibility, and high efficacy of delivery, macrophage exosomes have emerged as a promising drug delivery system. Macrophage-derived exosomes retain the targeting abilities and pro-inflammatory functions of macrophages and are attractive drug delivery vehicles for cancer treatment. Creative Biolabs is proud to launch our macrophage-derived exosome engineering service for drug delivery.

Engineering Macrophage Membrane as Drug Carriers

Macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit a thin layer on the surface, a slightly larger size, and a negatively charged surface zeta potential and contain membrane proteins derived from macrophages. Macrophage membrane-mediated drug delivery systems are being paid more and more attention. Research scientists at Creative Biolabs are experts in engineering macrophage membrane as drug carriers and are happy to assist clients based on their requirements.

We can provide personalized macrophage engineering solutions, including different types of drugs and therapeutic targets, according to the specific needs of our clients. Our goal is to provide effective drug delivery solutions through innovative macrophage engineering technologies to help new drug discovery and development.

• Offer isolation and culture of macrophages from different tissues
• Functional modification of macrophages through gene editing techniques or transfection
• Develop macrophage-mediated drug delivery systems to load anticancer drugs, immunomodulators, or other therapeutic molecules into macrophages
• Provide in vitro experimental and animal model studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of macrophage delivery systems.
• Provide technical consultation, assist customers in designing experimental protocols, and help solve technical problems encountered during macrophage engineering and drug delivery.

Related Products

We utilize advanced genetic engineering and cell culture technologies to provide you with customized macrophage models that will enhance the efficiency and outcomes of your research. Along with these specialized services, we offer a range of products designed specifically for drug delivery, including engineered macrophage cell lines and corresponding assays and analytical tools. These products have excellent biocompatibility and targeting properties to support your research programs.

Service Features

Innovations in Targeted Delivery Technologies

Realize active/passive targeting through various carrier systems to reduce systemic toxicity and break through biological barrier restrictions. Combined with the complex surface characteristics of macrophages, we can optimize the efficiency of immune evasion and targeting to achieve precise delivery at the organ/cell/subcellular level.

Versatility

Engineered macrophages can be designed to carry multiple drugs or therapeutic factors simultaneously and even have the ability to detect and report disease states. This versatility makes them promising for a wide range of applications in combination therapy and personalized medicine.

Improving Drug Stability

Macrophages can provide a protective environment for drugs, extending their half-life and bioavailability. This drug encapsulation and delivery mechanism can effectively improve drug stability and ensure its effective release and activity in the body.

Comprehensive Service Support

We provide a full range of services from R&D to preclinical trials, including macrophage acquisition, engineering, drug loading and tracking of their biodistribution, so that our clients are fully supported throughout the project.

Workflow of Macrophage Engineering Services

Scientific Resources

Learn More Macrophage Biology

Download M1 vs. M2 Macrophages

Learn More Macrophages as Carriers for Supramolecular Drug Delivery Platforms

Learn More Isolation and Identification of Macrophages

Q & A

Q: What specific engineering modifications can be made to macrophages?

A: We can engineer macrophages in a variety of ways, including gene editing techniques to insert or delete specific genes to enhance cellular uptake and targeting of drugs. We may also be able to make cells with specific phenotypes through cell reprogramming to enhance their survival and role in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, the combination of drug encapsulation and release technologies enables these cells to deliver drugs to their targets efficiently.

Q: What are the costs and lead times for providing this macrophage engineering service?

A: The cost of production usually depends on the specific needs of the client and the complexity of the project. Delivery time is usually after order confirmation, depending on the specific engineering needs and scale. We will maintain close communication with the customer during the progress of the project to ensure on-time delivery.

Q: How safe and effective are macrophages?

A: Our engineered macrophages are subjected to several in vitro and in vivo experiments to assess their safety and efficacy. In particular, studies in mouse models have shown the effectiveness and safety of these cells. We also collect and provide relevant research data to help our clients with experimental design and application.

Q: Will there be post technical support after choosing your service?

A: Yes, customers will receive comprehensive technical support after choosing our services, including experimental design assistance, data analysis and technical training. We can also provide the necessary technology transfer support to ensure that the customer's production team can implement the project smoothly. If any problems are encountered in the later application, our team is always happy to help.