[1S02e] 02. AFOB - Part 3

5:20 PM - 5:45 PM JST(8:20 AM - 8:45 AM UTC)

[1AFOB-19-KL] Translational Biotechnology Platform Integrating Probiotic Extracellular Vesicles with Thermo-responsive Biomaterials for Advanced Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapy

○ASHOK KUMAR^1,2, AYUSHI MAIRAL¹ (1. Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), INDIA (India), 2. Centre of Excellence for Materials in Medicine, Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, UP, INDIA (India))

Keywords:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease,Ulcerative Colitis,Temperature Responsive Polymer,Extracellular Vesicles,Probiotics

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), like ulcerative colitis, is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation, epithelial barrier disruption, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. While probiotics have been explored for restoring microbial balance, their therapeutic efficacy is often limited by poor survival and colonization in the inflamed intestinal environment. Probiotic-derived extracellular vesicles have recently emerged as a promising microbiome-based therapeutic modality, capable of delivering bioactive molecules that modulate host immune responses and promote intestinal homeostasis. In this work, we present a translational biotechnology strategy that harnesses extracellular vesicles from a commercially available probiotic blend VSL3 as key therapeutic mediators for the treatment of intestinal inflammation. To enable effective and localized delivery, these extracellular vesicles (ProEVs) were integrated within a thermo-responsive hyaluronic acid-based biomaterial platform designed for rectal administration and sustained retention at inflamed colonic sites. This system facilitates targeted delivery of ProEVs-associated bioactive factors while supporting mucosal repair and inflammation resolution. Preclinical evaluations demonstrated that ProEVs-based therapy attenuated inflammatory responses, protected intestinal epithelial cells from oxidative stress, and promoted anti-inflammatory signaling. In experimental colitis models, treatment improved disease-associated parameters, restored tissue architecture, and supported recovery of gut microbial balance. Notably, ProEV therapy exhibited superior therapeutic performance compared with conventional probiotic administration, highlighting the advantages of vesicle-mediated microbiome signaling. Importantly, the biomaterial formulation showed good biocompatibility and stability in a lyophilized form, underscoring its potential for translational development as an off-the-shelf therapeutic system. Overall, this study highlights the promise of probiotic extracellular vesicles as next-generation microbiome therapeutics and demonstrates how biomaterial-assisted delivery platforms can advance their clinical translation for inflammatory bowel disease.