Our rapidly evolving understanding of the human immune response is enabling scientists to leverage its potential to combat or prevent disease, leading to the development of preventive strategies and transformative treatments for a number of diseases.  

Here, we provide a brief overview of recent innovations in the field of immunology, specifically the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, NK cell immunotherapies, and antibody-drug conjugates that are changing the way we treat and manage disease.  

mRNA Vaccines  

Vaccination has been an essential tool for the control and prevention of infectious diseases. Traditional vaccines have relied largely on the use of inactivated or attenuated bacteria or viruses, proteins, or viral vectors as active components for eliciting an immune response by the body and mounting a defense against future encounters with a specific pathogen. Beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic, more novel mRNA vaccine technology has been instrumental in protecting a vulnerable global population against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.  

mRNA vaccines, such as those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, do not require the introduction of the pathogen as part of the vaccine, but rather work by instructing cells via mRNA to produce a harmless piece of a virus, prompting an immune response by the body. This technology offers several advantages to traditional vaccine production: faster development, improved safety, and scalable production. However, to maximize the potential of mRNA vaccines and their widespread adoption, improvements to vaccine delivery systems that enhance stability, targeted delivery, efficacy, and manufacturing scalability are needed.  

The success of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 has paved the way for expanding their applications. Researchers are actively developing RNA vaccines for other viral infections including Influenza, Zika, and several emerging pathogens. The flexibility of RNA vaccine technology extends beyond the control of infectious diseases and is being used to develop personalized medicines, therapeutics for genetic disorders, and cancer immunotherapies. As developers refine mRNA vaccine design and delivery, the application of this technology in the prevention and treatment of disease is expected to grow. 

Natural Killer (NK) Cell Immunotherapy  

Natural Killer (NK) cells are a vital component of the innate immune system, known for their ability to recognize and destroy infected or cancerous cells through direct cell lysis or the secretion of chemical messages that solicit a multicellular immune response. An increased knowledge of NK cell function has led to efforts to harness NK cells for use as immunotherapies. Compared to other cell therapies, such as CAR-T cells, NK cell therapies offer a lower risk of adverse effects and the ability to target a broader range of tumors, making them an attractive choice for ongoing development.  

Innovations in NK cell optimization through molecular engineering and gene editing are paving the way for enhanced efficacy and persistence. Clinical trials are underway to assess therapeutic efficacy of NK cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that enable NK cells to recognize specific cancer antigens, independent of typical NK cell receptor recognition mechanisms. Further, by combining NK cell therapy with other treatments such as checkpoint inhibitors or cytotoxic antibodies, new avenues for cancer treatment may be on the horizon.   

Monoclonal antibody optimization 

Antibodies are proteins in the immune system that recognize and neutralize foreign antigens (substances like pathogens, toxins, cancer cells, etc.) by eliciting an immune response. Drug developers utilize the targeting specificity of antibodies in therapies designed to treat infectious diseases, inflammatory conditions, and cancer. 

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are laboratory-engineered antibodies optimized to bind to a particular protein, like a cancer cell protein, and are a core component of an emerging class of drug known as an antibody-drug conjugate or ADC. In ADCs, a monoclonal antibody is covalently attached to a cytotoxic drug via a chemical linker. When the mAb binds to the cancer cell protein, the ADC molecule is internalized, delivering the cytotoxic drug into the tumor cell and eliminating it. Hundreds of ADC candidates are currently being investigated in clinical trials. 

Advances in high throughput screening methods, immune sequencing techniques, and mAb manufacturing are enabling scientists to rapidly optimize and bring ADCs to the market.  These developments have the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment. 

Conclusion 

Drawing inspiration from the natural activities of our immune systems, therapeutic development of optimized mRNA vaccines, NK cell immunotherapies, and antibody-drug conjugates offers hope for effective treatments for a number of conditions. At Samba Scientific, we are proud to support our colleagues in the field of immunology who work every day to develop new technologies that accelerate the development of these life-changing therapies. 

If you are interested in partnering with Samba to share your immunological breakthroughs with your audience, let’s connect. 

References 

Al Fayez, Nojoud, et al. Recent Advancement in mRNA Vaccine Development and Applications. Pharmaceutics. 2023 Jul; 15(7): 1972. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15071972 

Vivier, E., Rebuffet, L., Narni-Mancinelli, E. et al. Natural killer cell therapies. Nature 626, 727–736 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06945-1 

Fu, Z., Li, S., Han, S. et al. Antibody drug conjugate: the “biological missile” for targeted cancer therapy. Sig Transduct Target Ther 7, 93 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-022-00947-7