MOF-Vac Nanovaccine Drives Tumour Regression in Mouse Models
Published in Drugs development & discovery, Immunology, Journals, Nanomedicine.
October 6, 2026
A study published today in Nature Biomedical Engineering describes MOF-Vac, an experimental cancer vaccine built from nanoscale metal–organic frameworks. The carrier packages peptide antigens together with STING agonists and releases them inside cells in response to phosphate.
The researchers report tumour regression, immune memory and protection against metastasis in mouse models spanning melanoma, colorectal, triple-negative breast, lung and oropharyngeal cancers. Combining the vaccine with radiotherapy or immune checkpoint blockade also produced responses in primary and distant tumours.
Single-cell sequencing and immune-cell depletion experiments pointed to macrophage-driven antigen presentation as an important contributor. The work suggests a way to coordinate the delivery of cancer antigens with activation of innate immunity.
These are preclinical findings. The study does not establish safety or efficacy in patients, and the platform’s potential for personalized vaccination still requires clinical evaluation. Two authors disclosed relationships with Coordination Pharmaceuticals, which licensed the underlying MOF technology.
Source: Jiang and colleagues, Nature Biomedical Engineering, published October 6, 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s41551-026-01786-5.