CCTV 3·15 Gala Exposes Unapproved Exosome Products

The annual "3·15" consumer rights gala aired by China Central Television yesterday exposed the marketing of unapproved exosome products as high-priced anti-aging and disease treatments, prompting a local investigation and regulatory action.

The program said exosomes — bioactive substances secreted during stem cell cultivation — have become a buzzword in the medical aesthetics industry in recent years and are frequently promoted online as powerful anti-aging solutions. However, their mechanisms and clinical efficacy remain unclear, with most research still at the experimental stage. According to the broadcast, no exosome-based drug has been approved for sale in China.

During an undercover investigation, CCTV reporters visited Sichuan Jiebothiaer Biotechnology Co Ltd in Chengdu, southwest China. The company's manager, surnamed Tan, claimed that exosome injections could treat conditions including epilepsy, arthritis and diabetes.

Tan showed reporters what she described as medical-grade frozen exosome products taken from a refrigerator. The packaging bore no product information.

According to Tan, as the company does not hold medical qualifications, the injections were administered through partner medical institutions. A full treatment course involved three rounds totaling 600 billion particles and cost about 60,000 yuan (US$8,700).

Corporate records from business information platform Qichacha show the company was established in May 2024 in Chengdu with a registered capital of 10 million yuan, and has been operating for less than two years.

Online, many consumers have posted complaints about exosome-based cosmetic procedures, with some reporting severe facial infections, allergic reactions and little noticeable effect.

Following the broadcast, Chengdu police and market regulators carried out an overnight inspection of the company. In a statement released yesterday, the Chengdu Municipal Administration for Market Regulation said a joint investigation team has ordered the company to suspend operations and sealed all related products and raw materials. The case remains under investigation.