mRNA Therapeutics & Cancer Vaccines
Personalized neoantigen mRNA vaccines, lipid-nanoparticle delivery, self-amplifying and circular RNA and mRNA therapeutics beyond infectious disease.
Most influential
- Personalized RNA neoantigen vaccines stimulate T cells in pancreatic cancer
Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is lethal in 88% of patients 1 , yet harbours mutation-derived T cell neoantigens that are suitable for vaccines 2,3 . Here in a phase I trial of adjuvant autogene cevumeran, an individualized neoantigen vaccine based on uridine mRNA–lipoplex nanoparticles, we synthesized mRNA neoantigen vaccines in real time …
Abstract excerpt by Luis Alfonso Rojas et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06063-y; truncated.
Article1,431 citationsdoi:10.1038/s41586-023-06063-y - mRNA vaccine for cancer immunotherapy
mRNA vaccines have become a promising platform for cancer immunotherapy. During vaccination, naked or vehicle loaded mRNA vaccines efficiently express tumor antigens in antigen-presenting cells (APCs), facilitate APC activation and innate/adaptive immune stimulation. mRNA cancer vaccine precedes other conventional vaccine platforms due to high potency, safe …
Abstract excerpt by Lei Miao et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-021-01335-5; truncated.
Review935 citationsdoi:10.1186/s12943-021-01335-5 - RNA neoantigen vaccines prime long-lived CD8+ T cells in pancreatic cancer
A fundamental challenge for cancer vaccines is to generate long-lived functional T cells that are specific for tumour antigens. Here we find that mRNA–lipoplex vaccines against somatic mutation-derived neoantigens may solve this challenge in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a lethal cancer with few mutations. At an extended 3.2-year median follow-up …
Abstract excerpt by Zachary M. Sethna et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08508-4; truncated.
Article334 citationsdoi:10.1038/s41586-024-08508-4 - Targeting cancer with mRNA–lipid nanoparticles: key considerations and future prospectsReview376 citationsdoi:10.1038/s41571-023-00811-9
- Neoantigen vaccine: an emerging tumor immunotherapy
Genetic instability of tumor cells often leads to the occurrence of a large number of mutations, and expression of non-synonymous mutations can produce tumor-specific antigens called neoantigens. Neoantigens are highly immunogenic as they are not expressed in normal tissues. They can activate CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to generate immune response and have the pot…
Abstract excerpt by Peng M et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-019-1055-6; truncated.
Review558 citationsdoi:10.1186/s12943-019-1055-6 - mRNA vaccine–induced neoantigen-specific T cell immunity in patients with gastrointestinal cancerArticle426 citationsdoi:10.1172/jci134915
- mRNA therapeutics in cancer immunotherapy
Synthetic mRNA provides a template for the synthesis of any given protein, protein fragment or peptide and lends itself to a broad range of pharmaceutical applications, including different modalities of cancer immunotherapy. With the ease of rapid, large scale Good Manufacturing Practice-grade mRNA production, mRNA is ideally poised not only for off-the shel…
Abstract excerpt by Jan David Beck et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-021-01348-0; truncated.
Review385 citationsdoi:10.1186/s12943-021-01348-0 - Relationships Between Immune Landscapes, Genetic Subtypes and Responses to Immunotherapy in Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly heterogeneous at the genetic and molecular level, which has major repercussions on the efficacy of immunotherapy. A small subset of CRCs exhibit microsatellite instability (MSI), a molecular indicator of defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR), but the majority are microsatellite-stable (MSS). The high tumor mutational burden (T…
Abstract excerpt by Picard E et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00369; truncated.
Review432 citationsdoi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.00369 - Personalized neoantigen vaccine and pembrolizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a phase 1/2 trial
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors have modest efficacy as a monotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A personalized therapeutic cancer vaccine (PTCV) may enhance responses to PD-1 inhibitors through the induction of tumor-specific immunity. We present results from a single-arm, open-label, phase 1/2 study of a DNA plasmid PTCV (GNOS-PV0…
Abstract excerpt by Yarchoan M et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02894-y; truncated.
Article225 citationsdoi:10.1038/s41591-024-02894-y - Self-Amplifying RNA Vaccines Give Equivalent Protection against Influenza to mRNA Vaccines but at Much Lower Doses
New vaccine platforms are needed to address the time gap between pathogen emergence and vaccine licensure. RNA-based vaccines are an attractive candidate for this role: they are safe, are produced cell free, and can be rapidly generated in response to pathogen emergence. Two RNA vaccine platforms are available: synthetic mRNA molecules encoding only the anti…
Abstract excerpt by Vogel AB et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.11.017; truncated.
Article420 citationsdoi:10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.11.017 - Self-amplifying RNA SARS-CoV-2 lipid nanoparticle vaccine candidate induces high neutralizing antibody titers in mice
The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 into a global pandemic within a few months of onset motivates the development of a rapidly scalable vaccine. Here, we present a self-amplifying RNA encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein encapsulated within a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) as a vaccine. We observe remarkably high and dose-dependent SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody titers in…
Abstract excerpt by McKay PF et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17409-9; truncated.
Article378 citationsdoi:10.1038/s41467-020-17409-9 - Efficient Nanovaccine Delivery in Cancer ImmunotherapyReview374 citationsdoi:10.1021/acsnano.7b00978
- Individualized, heterologous chimpanzee adenovirus and self-amplifying mRNA neoantigen vaccine for advanced metastatic solid tumors: phase 1 trial interim resultsArticle242 citationsdoi:10.1038/s41591-022-01937-6
- A shared neoantigen vaccine combined with immune checkpoint blockade for advanced metastatic solid tumors: phase 1 trial interim resultsArticle158 citationsdoi:10.1038/s41591-024-02851-9
- Personalized Cancer Vaccines: Clinical Landscape, Challenges, and OpportunitiesReview287 citationsdoi:10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.09.038
Newest work
- Navigating the Transition to RNA-Based Influenza Vaccines: A State-of-the-Art ReviewReviewdoi:10.3390/vaccines14100874
- Advances in the development and delivery of nucleic acid-based therapeuticsReviewdoi:10.1039/d6bm00738d
- Tuning intracellular immunity by Nodamura virus B2 protein enhances self-amplifying RNA activityArticledoi:10.1038/s41467-026-77816-2
- Efficient production of a self-amplifying RNA vaccine sequence with the single subunit RNA polymerase from <i>Klebsiella</i> phage 32 utilizing the native AU initiating dinucleotideArticledoi:10.1261/rna.081020.126
- Personalized mRNA Neoantigen Vaccines in Cancer: Linking Precision Antigen Selection, Immune Remodeling, and Checkpoint BlockadeReviewdoi:10.3390/ijms27188163
- Research Progress, Application, and Industrialization Prospects of Circular RNA Vaccines in Viral DiseasesReviewdoi:10.3390/vaccines14090781
- Messenger RNA delivery of a dual CD25/CD122 affinity-tuned IL-2 variant prolongs exposure and potentiates antitumor T cell immunityArticledoi:10.1126/sciadv.aeh9215
- Generative AI-enabled neoantigen vaccine engineering: From tumor antigen discovery to personalized construct design and translational validationReviewdoi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2026.109028
- Novel lipid nanoparticle in a mRNA cancer vaccine drives tumor control via type I IFNs and effector CD8<sup>+</sup> T cellsArticledoi:10.1016/j.omtn.2026.103076
- A viral-based individualized neoantigen vaccine as adjuvant treatment in resected head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a randomized Phase I trialArticledoi:10.1038/s41467-026-76667-1
Clinical trials
- Bringing Optimised COVID-19 Vaccine Schedules To ImmunoCompromised Populations (BOOST-IC): an Adaptive Randomised Controlled Clinical TrialClinical trialNCT05556720
- A Clinical Trial Investigating the Safety, Tolerability, and Therapeutic Effects of BNT113 in Combination With Pembrolizumab Versus Pembrolizumab Alone for Patients With a Form of Head and Neck Cancer Positive for Human Papilloma Virus 16 and Expressing the Protein PD-L1Clinical trialNCT04534205
- Evaluation of the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of iNeo-Vac-R01, an Individualized mRNA Therapeutic Technology Based on Tumor Neoantigens, for Adjuvant Treatment in Patients With Biliary Malignant Tumors After Radical ResectionClinical trialNCT07368803
- Self-Amplifying mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine (LUNAR-COV19) Versus Comirnaty Vaccine in Adult Hematopoietic Cell Transplant PatientsClinical trialNCT07390968
- Universal Immunization to Fortify Immunotherapy Efficacy and ResponseClinical trialNCT07597070
- Safety and Efficacy of Multimodal Thermal Therapy (MTT) Combined With KRAS G12V mRNA Vaccine, S-1, and Sintilimab in Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic CancerClinical trialNCT07745790
- Safety and Immunogenicity of 9-valent Human Papillomavirus (9vHPV) Vaccine Coadministered With Messenger Ribonucleic Acid (mRNA)-1273 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (COVID-19) Vaccine (V503-076)Clinical trialNCT05119855
- DOC1021 Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy for Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Adult Glioblastoma (GBM)Clinical trialNCT06805305