BST and IGTP are advancing the use of the particles that cells use to communicate as revolutionary therapies for the future

One of the most promising fields of research due to its regenerative potential

Thursday, 9 July 2026 - Campus Can Ruti, Projects, Research

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoparticles released by cells to communicate with one another and represent one of the most promising areas of research for the therapies of the future
The Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), in collaboration with the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) and the Reus-based technology company Biosfer Teslab, is leading a study that validates a cutting-edge technology which could help turn these therapies in the trial phase into new medicines
The study has been published in the prestigious, high-impact scientific journal in the field, the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles (JEV)
The activity of these nanoparticles is key to tissue regeneration and the modulation of inflammation, among other functions

The Blood and Tissue Bank is studying how to manufacture and use therapeutically a type of nanoparticles released by the body's cells to communicate with one another, in one of the most promising fields of research for the therapies of the future. New medicines and advanced therapies modify cells (immune cells), genes and tissues to treat diseases such as cancer. However, the next step is to focus on these subcellular packages loaded with biological information, known as extracellular vesicles (EVs), which perform essential functions such as tissue regeneration and the modulation of inflammation.

The Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), in collaboration with the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) and the Reus-based technology company Biosfer Teslab, is playing a leading role in the development and improvement of these therapies through the publication of research aimed at enabling the large-scale manufacture of regenerative medicine products based on these cell-to-cell 'information packages', known as extracellular vesicles (EVs).

Therapies based on these nanoparticles are not yet part of routine clinical practice. Many are still under development, and work is ongoing to demonstrate their safety, the appropriate route, dose and treatment regimen, as well as their efficacy, before they can become widely used treatments.

The study coordinated by the BST represents a significant boost for the advancement of this therapeutic field and has been published in one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the field, the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles (JEV). The research demonstrates the potential of a specific technology: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) as a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) to monitor, optimise and scale up the manufacture of these extracellular vesicles (EVs). The EVs used are derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have the unique ability to differentiate into other tissues in the body (bone, cartilage or muscle), and have great potential as the basis for new therapies in regenerative medicine and immunology.

"These nanoparticles could represent a genuine revolution in medicine. They could become a kind of microscopic drone capable of delivering medicines and regenerative molecules directly to the cells that need them, making treatments more precise and less aggressive", explains Dr Joaquim Vives from the BST Research Department. They could be used, for example, in patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction, "by injecting these nanoparticles into the damaged heart tissue so that the healthy cells can signal and trigger revascularisation and regeneration of the damaged tissue", explains Vives, with a much lower risk of rejection as they are not cell-based therapies.

NMR makes it possible to determine precisely the biochemical status of the cell culture inside the bioreactors where these vesicles are secreted. In other words, it allows researchers to assess whether cell metabolism is optimal and aligned with compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements, which are essential for this type of therapy.

Multiple therapeutic possibilities

The functions of these nanoparticles are wide-ranging. They act as communication elements with the immune system and are involved in processes such as tissue repair and cell growth, among others. They are currently used as highly useful diagnostic biomarkers for the early detection of diseases, as they are released by tumours and damaged tissues and can be detected directly in blood samples.

In the future, these nanoparticles could become key biological tools for the targeted delivery of drugs and therapeutic molecules to the cells that need them, as well as for modulating the immune response, reducing excessive inflammation or even enhancing the immune response against tumours. They also open the door to applications in gene therapies through RNA delivery, as well as to the repair of tissues such as the heart, bones and nervous system.

The research forms part of the GALVANO project, an R&D&I excellence initiative co-funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICINN) with €805,428.

Research team

Blood and Tissue Bank (BST)
The Blood and Tissue Bank is a public organisation of the Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia whose mission is to transform and improve people's lives through the efficient and appropriate supply of blood, tissues, their derivatives and other Substances of Human Origin (SoHO) across Catalonia. It is also a leading research organisation in the development and manufacture of advanced therapies for patients.

Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP)
The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) is a public research centre based in Badalona whose main objective is to improve patients' health through the generation of excellent scientific knowledge and its transfer into clinical practice.

Biosfer Teslab
Biosfer Teslab is a Catalan biotechnology SME specialising in metabolomics analysis using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), providing cutting-edge biofluid profiling technologies for the development of new diagnostic tools and the monitoring of industrial bioprocesses in the biomedical sector.

Reference

Roura S, Amigó N, Vives J. Integrating Nuclear Magnetic Resonance into Bioprocess Control of Clinical-Grade Extracellular Vesicle Manufacturing. J Extracell Vesicles. 2026 Jul;15(7):e70330. DOI: 10.1002/jev2.70330.