Biomembrane-Derived vesicles for targeted cancer Therapies: Novel treatment avenues from Cells, Bacteria, and extracellular sources.

Nanovesicles (NVs) derived from biological membranes offer promising opportunities in the realm of ultra-precise cancer therapy, with proven therapeutic efficacy and safety profiles. These biomimetic NVs possess a versatile liposome-like structure capable of accommodating hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents. NVs derived from a plethora of biological sources, including eukaryotic cells [erythrocytes, platelets, immune cells, cancer cells and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)], extracellular vesicles (EVs), and bacteria, successfully proved to enable the tumor-targeted delivery of a wide panoply of therapeutic molecules. These include chemotherapeutics, imaging agents, nucleic acids and immunoadjuvants, highlighting their potential as natural lipid-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) in cancer-oriented therapies. Clinical translation, however, encounters challenging issues that require further research and refinement. Safety, immunogenicity, scalability, stability, production protocols, quality control, and understanding biological processes remain crucial aspects for clinical implementation. This review offers a critical and comparative analysis of different membrane sources, underlines several NV applications in tumor-targeted therapies, and outlines future research directions and current limitations. Addressing these challenges is pivotal to harnessing the full potential of NVs derived from biological membranes for safe and effective clinical use.