Los Angeles, CA – January 28, 2025 - Researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation have developed an innovative delivery system that could significantly improve the effectiveness of peptide-based cancer vaccines, according to a new study published in Advanced Functional Materials. The breakthrough centers on a new class of materials called lipopeptide hydrogels (LPHs), which show promise in boosting immune responses and possess adjuvant-like properties.
"Traditional peptide-based cancer vaccines, while safer than many alternatives, often struggle to provoke a strong enough immune response," explains Dr. Natashya Falcone, the study's lead investigator. "Our findings demonstrate that these novel LPHs could overcome this limitation by serving both as a depot delivery system and an adjuvant to boost the immune response. This dual-action approach could be transformative for cancer vaccine development."
The research team engineered these hydrogels to deliver a specific peptide that targets hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer. The LPH system demonstrated sustained release of the cancer-targeting peptide over a two-week period, enhanced uptake by immune cells, activated immune cells called antigen-presenting cells by increasing co-stimulatory molecule expression, and increased immune cell presence in lymph nodes without observable toxic effects in vivo.
"This innovative research exemplifies our commitment to developing breakthrough technologies that can revolutionize vaccine treatment," says Dr. Ali Khademhosseini, CEO of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation. "The potential impact of this adjuvant-like delivery system extends beyond liver cancer, potentially opening new avenues for more effective cancer vaccines across multiple types of tumors."
