Advances in delivery technologies-powered cancer vaccines

Over the past decade, cancer vaccines have shown great promise in immunotherapy for solid tumors. However, the efficacy of cancer vaccines is unsatisfactory due to the complexity, heterogeneity, and immune evasion of cancer, as well as the instability of the core components of the vaccines (antigens and adjuvants), the weak immunogenicity and low presentation efficiency of antigens, and the inability to effectively activate immune cells. Nanotechnology is considered to be a transformative approach to address these challenges by improving vaccine delivery. As carriers and/or adjuvants, nanoparticles take advantage of their superior physicochemical properties to enhance the stability of antigens and adjuvants, achieve controlled release in time and space, enable flexible and synergistic combination therapies, and create highly targeted delivery systems, thereby optimizing the efficacy and durability of antitumor immunity and minimizing side effects. In this review, the key components of the nanovaccine strategy are highlighted, which covers antigen forms, adjuvant types, nanovaccine platforms, and more. We provide the latest advances in the development of cutting-edge biomaterials and carrier systems for controlled vaccine delivery. Finally, integrating the current progress strategy, we offer critical perspectives on future applications of nanomaterials in cancer vaccines for clinical translation.