Bridging In Vitro Screening to In Vivo Efficacy for Cancer Vaccines

mRNA cancer vaccines induce antigen-specific immunity by promoting dendritic cell-mediated antigen presentation and T-cell activation, yet their preclinical evaluation requires models that faithfully recapitulate human MHC-restricted immune responses. GemPharmatech developed an integrated platform for comprehensive assessment of mRNA cancer vaccines, combining in vitro immunogenicity assays with in vivo efficacy and safety studies. In vitro, monocyte-derived dendritic cells co-cultured with autologous T cells were used to evaluate antigen-specific immune activation. In vivo, HLA-humanized mouse models, including HLA-A2.1 mice, enabled the assessment of human-relevant T-cell responses. Therapeutic studies demonstrated potent tumor growth inhibition by mRNA vaccines, with further enhancement when combined with anti-PD-1 therapy in xenograft models. This platform provides a robust translational tool for optimizing mRNA-based cancer vaccines.