Clinical advances and ongoing trials of mRNA vaccines for cancer treatment
Cathrine Lund Lorentzen et al.
Summary
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has directed worldwide focus towards mRNA-based vaccines. Indeed, the foundation for the rapid COVID-19 vaccine development and production was based on years of research exploring mRNA vaccines as a therapeutic strategy against cancer in preclinical and clinical trials. mRNA brings several benefits to a vaccine setting (panel). Firstly, mRNA-based vaccines are well tolerated, easily degraded, and do not integrate into the host genome.Secondly, mRNA molecules are non-infectious, and mRNA vaccines have the potential to induce both humoral and cell-mediated immunity (figure)..Lastly, the production of mRNA vaccines is fast and inexpensive.
Advantages of mRNA vaccines for the treatment of cancer
- •
Well tolerated: adverse events are generally manageable and transient
- •
No genome integration: eliminates the risk of insertional mutagenesis
- •
Non-infectious: no pathogenic viral agents are used
- •
Easily degraded: reduces risk of toxicity
- •
Humoral and cellular immunity: necessary for activating and sustaining anti-tumour responses
- •
Fast and inexpensive production: laboratory-based and cell-free production
