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Review
. 2025 Mar 14:19:1541326.
doi: 10.3389/or.2025.1541326. eCollection 2025.

Advancements and challenges in personalized neoantigen-based cancer vaccines

Parminder Singh #  1   2 , Mahalaqua Nazli Khatib  3 , Roopashree R  4 , Mandeep Kaur  5 , Manish Srivastava  6 , Amit Barwal  7 , G V Siva Rajput  8 , Pranchal Rajput  9 , Rukshar Syed  10 , Gajendra Sharma  11 , Sunil Kumar  12 , Muhammed Shabil  13 , Sakshi Pandey  14 , Manvinder Brar  15 , Ganesh Bushi  16 , Rachana Mehta  17 , Sanjit Sah  18   19   20 , Khang Wen Goh  2   21 , Prakasini Satapathy #  22   23 , Abhay M Gaidhane #  24 , Shailesh Kumar Samal  25
Affiliations
Review

Advancements and challenges in personalized neoantigen-based cancer vaccines

Parminder Singh et al. Oncol Rev. .

Abstract

Advancements in personalized neoantigen-based cancer vaccines are ushering in a new era in oncology, targeting unique genetic alterations within tumors to enhance treatment precision and efficacy. Neoantigens, specific to cancer cells and absent in normal tissues, are at the heart of these vaccines, promising to direct the immune system specifically against the tumor, thereby maximizing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects. The identification of neoantigens through genomic and proteomic technologies is central to developing these vaccines, allowing for the precise mapping of a tumor's mutational landscape. Despite advancements, accurately predicting which neoantigens will elicit strong immune responses remains challenging due to tumor variability and the complexity of immune system interactions. This necessitates further refinement of bioinformatics tools and predictive models. Moreover, the efficacy of these vaccines heavily depends on innovative delivery methods that enhance neoantigen presentation to the immune system. Techniques like encapsulating neoantigens in lipid nanoparticles and using viral vectors are critical for improving vaccine stability and delivery. Additionally, these vaccines contribute towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.8, promoting universal health coverage by advancing access to safe and effective cancer treatments. This review delves into the potential of neoantigen-based vaccines to transform cancer treatment, examining both revolutionary advancements and the ongoing challenges they face.

Keywords: cancer immunotherapy; immunogenicity prediction; neoantigen-based vaccines; personalized medicine; vaccine delivery systems.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Comparison of traditional cancer therapies and cancer immunotherapy: efficacy and side effects.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Transcriptomic mechanisms leading to neoantigen production in cancer.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Workflow for identifying tumor-specific neoantigens for personalized cancer immunotherapy.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Comparing neoantigen-based therapies: (A) Bispecific antibodies, (B) TCR-T, (C) CAR-T, and (D) Vaccines.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Challenges in developing personalized cancer vaccines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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