Whether you’re engineering extracellular vesicles (EVs) as part of therapeutics development¹ or using them as a tool for functional studies of EV-mediated nucleic acid delivery², getting the desired miRNA or siRNA cargo into EVs is a critical first step. SBI helps you efficiently and effortlessly get this step done with the Exo-Fect™ siRNA/miRNA Transfection Kit, a first-in-class reagent specifically designed for loading small RNAs into EVs.

Unlike electroporation, a common method for introducing small RNAs into EVs³, the Exo-Fect workflow does not require access to specialized equipment or the same time-consuming optimization of voltage and timing. Instead, it leverages our proprietary Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) technology to transfer siRNAs or miRNAs to the inside of your EVs.

This next-generation EV transfection reagent offers the following benefits:

• Efficient delivery—siRNA/miRNA-loaded EVs deliver cargo to as many as 95% of target cells*
• Validated efficacy—siRNA-loaded EVs lead to significant knockdown (>80%) of target gene expression in transfected cells**
• No toxicity—unlike commonly-used lipid-based transfection reagents, the Exo-Fect siRNA/miRNA Transfection Reagent causes no toxicity in tested cells
• Fast, easy workflow—go from prepared small RNA to ready-to-use, RNA-loaded EVs in less than 1.5-hours and with only 15-minutes of hands-on time
• Minimal background—a clean-up step ensures complete removal of free small RNA and excess transfection reagent for clean, ready-to-use, RNA-loaded EVs

*As assessed by exposing non-fluorescent target cells to EVs loaded with Cy3-labeled control siRNA using Exo-Fect siRNA/miRNA transfection reagent, and then measuring the percentage of fluorescent cells (HeLa, HUVEC, and HEK293 cells were all tested).

** As assessed using qPCR analysis of HPRT gene expression in cells treated with either HPRT-targeting siRNA or control siRNA.

1. Chen Z, et al. Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Cell-Derived miRNA-150-5p-Expressing Exosomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis Mediated by the Modulation of MMP14 and VEGF. J Immunol. 2018 Oct 15;201(8):2472-2482. PMCID: PMC6176104.
2. Pegtel DM, et al. Functional delivery of viral miRNAs via exosomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010;107(14):6328-33. PMCID: PMC2851954.
3. Alvarez-Erviti, L et al. Delivery of siRNA to the mouse brain by systemic injection of targeted exosomes. Nat Biotechnol. 2011 Apr; 29:341–345. PMID: 21423189.