SCIENTIFIC DISCOURSE ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NEW ANTICANCER VACCINES: INNOVATIONS, PHARMACOLOGY, CLINICAL APPLICATIONS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Nodar Sulashvili; Nato Alavidze; Marika Sulashvili

doi:10.52340/zssu.2025.17.18

Authors

Nodar Sulashvili Shota Meskhia State Teaching University of Zugdidi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9005-8577
Nato Alavidze Akaki Tsereteli State University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6695-5924
Marika Sulashvili Tbilisi State Medical University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52340/zssu.2025.17.18

Keywords:

Anticancer vaccines, Cancer immunotherapy, Tumor microenvironment, Personalized medicine, mRNA vaccines, Dendritic cell vaccines, Immune checkpoint inhibitors, Pharmacology, Clinical applications

Abstract

The development of new anticancer vaccines represents one of the most promising innovations in oncology, integrating advances in immunology, molecular biology, nanotechnology, pharmacy, pharmacology and personalized medicine. Unlike conventional chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic strategies, anticancer vaccines aim to harness and amplify the body’s own immune system to recognize, target, and eliminate malignant cells while minimizing off-target toxicities. Recent innovations include peptide- and protein-based vaccines, dendritic cell–based formulations, viral vector platforms, and mRNA vaccines, which offer high versatility and potential for rapid adaptation to individual tumor antigens. A growing understanding of tumor immunology and neoantigen discovery has enhanced vaccine design, while the incorporation of adjuvants, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and combination regimens has demonstrated synergistic efficacy in preclinical and clinical trials. Pharmacologically, new vaccines function by enhancing antigen presentation, stimulating cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and modulating the tumor microenvironment to overcome immunosuppression. Nanoparticle delivery systems further improve stability, biodistribution, and targeted delivery of immunogenic components, enhancing vaccine potency. Clinically, cancer vaccines are being evaluated in melanoma, lung, breast, prostate, and hematologic malignancies. Despite encouraging outcomes, challenges remain, including tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion mechanisms, and variability in patient response, highlighting the importance of biomarkers for patient stratification and treatment monitoring. Future perspectives point toward increasingly personalized vaccines guided by next-generation sequencing, artificial intelligence–based antigen prediction, and integration with other immunotherapeutic modalities such as CAR-T cell therapy and oncolytic viruses. The convergence of precision medicine and cancer immunology suggests that anticancer vaccines may evolve into a cornerstone of comprehensive oncology care. A continued scientific discourse is essential to refine these strategies, address regulatory and manufacturing barriers, and ensure accessibility. Collectively, these innovations underscore the transformative potential of anticancer vaccines in shaping the future landscape of cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship of patients.

Author Biographies

Nodar Sulashvili, Shota Meskhia State Teaching University of Zugdidi

MD, PhD, Doctor of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences in Medicine, Associate Affiliated Professor of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy Direction at Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State University, Head of The Pharmacy Bachelor Education Study Program at Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State University, Zugdidi, Georgia; Invited Lecturer (Invited Professor) of Scientific Research-Skills Center at Tbilisi State Medical University; Invited Lecturer of Clinical Pharmacology Department at Tbilisi State Medical University; Tbilisi, Georgia; Scientific Researcher and Invited Professor of Department of Pharmaceutical Management at Yerevan State Medical University After Mkhitar Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia.

ORCID 0000-0002-9005-8577;

E-mail: n.sulashvili@ug.edu.ge

Nato Alavidze, Akaki Tsereteli State University

MD, PhD, Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor of Akaki Tsereteli State University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Kutaisi, Georgia; Professor, Head of the Pharmacy Education Study Program at Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State University; Professor, Dean Faculty of Medicine at East European University, Tbilisi, Georgia.

ORCID 0000-0001-6695-5924

Marika Sulashvili, Tbilisi State Medical University

MD, Doctor of Family Medicine, Invited Lecturer of Tbilisi State Medical University, Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Invited Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular and Medical Genetics at The University of Georgia; Tbilisi, Georgia.

References

REFERENCES

 Blass, E., & Ott, P. A. (2021). Advances in the development of personalized neoantigen-based therapeutic cancer vaccines. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 18

 (4), 215–229.

 Hu, Z., Leet, D. E., Allesøe, R. L., Oliveira, G., and et al (2021). Personal neoantigen vaccines induce persistent memory T cell responses and epitope spreading in patients with melanoma. Nature Medicine, 27 (3), 515–525.

 Sahin, U., & Türeci, Ö. (2018). Personalized vaccines for cancer immunotherapy. Science, 359(6382), 1355–1360.

 Ott, P. A., Hu-Lieskovan, S., Chmielowski, B., Govindan, R., Naing, A., and et al (2020). A phase Ib trial of personalized neoantigen therapy plus anti-PD-1 in patients with advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, or bladder cancer. Cell, 183 (2), 347-362.

 Hilf, N., Kuttruff-Coqui, S., Frenzel, K., Bukur, V., and et al (2019). Actively personalized vaccination trial for newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Nature, 565(7738), 240–245.

 Miao, L., Zhang, Y., & Huang, L. (2021). mRNA vaccine for cancer immunotherapy. Molecular Cancer, 20 (1), 41.

 Melero, I., Gaudernack, G., Gerritsen, W., Huber, C., and et al (2014). Therapeutic vaccines for cancer: An overview of clinical trials. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 11(9), 509–524.

 Palucka, K., & Banchereau, J. (2023). Dendritic-cell-based therapeutic cancer vaccines. Immunity, 39 (1), 38–48.

 Sulashvili, N., Gorgaslidze, N., Gabunia, L., Alavidze, N., Sulashvili, M. (2024). The scientific discussion of some issues of features and challenges of using of car-t cells in immunotherapy. Georgian Scientists, 6(4), 263–290.

 Saxena, M., van der Burg, S. H., Melief, C. J. M., & Bhardwaj, N. (2021). Therapeutic cancer vaccines. Nature Reviews Cancer, 21 (6), 360–378.

 Tanyi, J. L., Bobisse, S., Ophir, E., Tuyaerts, S., and et al (2018). Personalized cancer vaccine effectively mobilizes antitumor T cell immunity in ovarian cancer. Science Translational Medicine, 10(436), eaao5931.

 Vormehr, M., Türeci, Ö., & Sahin, U. (2019). Harnessing tumor mutations for truly individualized cancer vaccines. Annual Review of Medicine, 70, 395–407.

 Sulashvili, N., Abzianidze, E., Chichoyan, N., Zarnadze, S. (Davit). (2025). The manifestation of scientific discussion on new antiretroviral medicines: a comprehensive analysis of classification, clinical use, features, mechanisms, pharmacology and toxicities in general. Georgian Scientists, 7(3), 522–569.

 Yarchoan, M., Johnson, B. A., Lutz, E. R., Laheru, D. A., & Jaffee, E. M. (2022). Targeting neoantigens to augment antitumour immunity. Nature Reviews Cancer, 17 (4), 209–222.

 Sulashvili, N., Abzianidze, E., Chichoyan, N., Zarnadze, S. (Davit). (2025). The manifestation of scientific aspects of classification, clinical use, features, mechanism of action, pharmacology, effects and toxicities of new anticancer drugs in general. Georgian Scientists, 7(3), 570–611.

 Keskin, D. B., Anandappa, A. J., Sun, J., Tirosh, I., and et al (2021). Neoantigen vaccine generates intratumoral T cell responses in phase Ib glioblastoma trial. Nature, 565 (7738), 234–239.

 Lorentzen, C. L., Haanen, J. B., Met, Ö., & Svane, I. M. (2022). Clinical advances and future directions in cancer vaccines. Journal of Internal Medicine, 292 (2), 191–208.

 Pardi, N., Hogan, M. J., Porter, F. W., & Weissman, D. (2018). mRNA vaccines — a new era in vaccinology. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 17 (4), 261–279.