Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a transformative approach in oncology with the discovery of therapeutic cancer vaccines as a promising strategy. These vaccines, either standalone or in conjunction with adoptive cell therapy or immune checkpoint blockade therapy, show promise. However, the clinical success of conventional cancer vaccines remains limited due to poor immunogenicity, suboptimal antigen presentation, and inadequate delivery at the site of action. Application of nanotechnology for developing nanovaccines may address these challenges and offer solutions to these limitations. Nano-vaccines mimic the physicochemical and structural properties of the antigen system and may activate both humoral and cellular immune responses. These systems can be used to fine-tune intracellular delivery and antigen cross-presentation. Furthermore, it offers prolonged blood circulation stability, improved immune system engagement, without the need for supplemental doses and the need to maintain the cold chain, as well as the potential to develop large-scale production. This review explores the vaccine delivery via artificial or naturally derived nanoparticles in cancer immunotherapy, focusing on their ability to deliver/co-deliver inert ingredients and multiepitope antigens into lymphoid organs and monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, immunogenic mRNA for cancer immunotherapy delivered via nano-vaccine will also be examined. Overall, nanovaccines represent a promising frontier in precision immunotherapy with significant implications for cancer treatment.
Gupta RA, Rani S, Verma A, Kumar M, Gupta PS. Nano-vaccines in cancer immunotherapy: Advancing precision and potency in the next generation of therapeutics. J Appl Pharm Sci. 2025. Article in Press. http://doi.org/10.7324/JAPS.2026.257890
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