Improving the efficacy of peptide vaccines in cancer immunotherapy

Peptide vaccines have shown great potential in cancer immunotherapy by targeting tumor antigens and acti-vating the patient's immune system to mount a specific response against cancer cells. However, the efficacy of peptide vaccines in inducing a sustained immune response and achieving clinical benefit remains a major challenge. In this review, we discuss the current status of peptide vaccines in cancer immunotherapy and stra-tegies to improve their efficacy. We summarize the recent advancements in the development of peptide vaccines in pre-clinical and clinical settings, including the use of novel adjuvants, neoantigens, nano-delivery systems, and combination therapies. We also highlight the importance of personalized cancer vaccines, which consider the unique genetic and immunological profiles of individual patients. We also discuss the strategies to enhance the immunogenicity of peptide vaccines such as multivalent peptides, conjugated peptides, fusion proteins, and self-assembled peptides. Although, peptide vaccines alone are weak immunogens, combining peptide vaccines with other immunotherapeutic approaches and developing novel approaches such as personalized vaccines can be promising methods to significantly enhance their efficacy and improve the clinical outcomes for cancer patients.

Automated summary

Peptide vaccines have shown potential in cancer immunotherapy by targeting tumor antigens and activating the immune system, but their efficacy is still a major challenge. This review discusses the current status and strategies to improve the efficacy of peptide vaccines, including the use of novel adjuvants, neoantigens, nano-delivery systems, and combination therapies. Personalized cancer vaccines, multivalent peptides, conjugated peptides, fusion proteins, and self-assembled peptides are also highlighted as ways to enhance the immunogenicity of peptide vaccines. Combining peptide vaccines with other immunotherapeutic approaches and developing personalized vaccines can significantly improve their efficacy and clinical outcomes for cancer patients.