Scientists edge closer to a universal cancer vaccine using nanoparticles

What if a single vaccine platform could train the immune system to prevent multiple cancers? A new nanoparti

Scientists are moving closer to the idea of a universal cancer vaccine after a new nanoparticle-based shot prevented multiple aggressive cancers in mice and kept up to 88 per cent of vaccinated animals tumour-free.

 

The findings, reported in a study titled Super-adjuvant nanoparticles for platform cancer vaccination published in Cell Reports Medicine, show that a single vaccine platform can be adapted to protect against melanoma, pancreatic cancer and triple-negative breast cancer by generating a strong, long-lasting immune response.

 

By combining cancer antigens with a powerful “super-adjuvant” that activates the immune system on multiple fronts, the vaccine generated durable immune memory that recognises cancer cells and destroys them if they reappear. 

 

What is this new cancer vaccine? 

According to the study, researchers designed lipid nanoparticles, which are the  tiny fat-based carriers similar to those used in mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, to deliver two immune-boosting signals at the same time.

 

These nanoparticles act as “super-adjuvants”. Each vaccine contains two key components:

• an antigen, which teaches the immune system what to attack
• an adjuvant, which signals that the threat is serious

 

Together, they trigger a surge of type I interferons and inflammatory signals that are essential for priming cancer-killing T cells.

 

Crucially, both immune stimulators are packaged inside the same nanoparticle, ensuring they reach immune cells together rather than separating during delivery. 

How well did the vaccine work against cancer in mice? 

The researchers reported that when the nanoparticle vaccine was paired with melanoma antigens, 80 per cent of vaccinated mice remained tumour-free for the entire 250-day study period. All unvaccinated mice developed tumours and died within weeks.

 

The protection extended beyond the original tumour site. When cancer cells were introduced into the bloodstream to mimic metastasis, none of the vaccinated mice developed lung tumours, while all unvaccinated animals did.

 

Even stronger results were seen when the vaccine was combined with tumour lysate, the cancer cells taken directly from tumours. This approach removes the need to identify specific cancer antigens in advance.

 

Tumour rejection rates reached:

• 88 per cent for pancreatic cancer
• 75 per cent for triple-negative breast cancer
• 69 per cent for melanoma

Why is immune memory crucial in cancer prevention? 

Cancer’s greatest threat lies in its ability to recur and spread. The study shows that the vaccine induces systemic immune memory, meaning the immune system remembers cancer cells throughout the body, not just at the original tumour site.

 

This is significant because most cancer deaths result from metastasis rather than the primary tumour. By maintaining long-term immune surveillance, the vaccine could potentially prevent both relapse and spread. 

How does the vaccine reach key immune cells? 

The study explains that the nanoparticles are engineered to be small enough to drain efficiently into lymph nodes, which function as command centres of the immune system.

 

There, dendritic cells take up the particles, process the cancer antigens, and present them to T cells. This leads to the formation of polyfunctional T cells, the immune cells capable of producing multiple cancer-fighting signals simultaneously.

 

Researchers also observed activation of B cells and antibody responses, indicating a coordinated and broad immune reaction. 

Could this become a universal cancer vaccine? 

The researchers describe the approach as a flexible platform. The same nanoparticle system can be paired with different tumour antigens or tumour lysates, allowing rapid adaptation without redesigning the vaccine each time.

 

This flexibility could be particularly useful for people at high risk of cancer or for cancers where identifying precise antigens is complex.

 

The vaccine remains in the preclinical stage and has only been tested in mice. While early safety signals were encouraging, showing minimal weight loss and no major liver toxicity, further studies, including large-animal testing, will be required before human trials can begin. 

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