Neoantigen

Neoantigen designates a novel antigenic peptide generated from tumour-specific mutations presented on cancer cell surfaces via major histocompatibility complex molecules and recognised as foreign by the immune system. Unlike self-antigens, neoantigens arise from somatic mutations unique to malignant cells, making them highly tumour-specific targets for immune recognition and therapeutic intervention.

The biopharmaceutical industry is actively developing neoantigen-based therapies including personalised cancer vaccines, adoptive T cell therapies, and immune monitoring tools exploiting tumour-specific mutation profiles. Neoantigen identification involves sequencing tumour DNA and RNA, predicting peptide-MHC binding, and validating immunogenicity through functional assays. Personalised neoantigen vaccines aim to stimulate patient-specific T cell responses targeting multiple tumour mutations. Neoantigen burden correlates with response to checkpoint blockade in certain cancers. Advances in bioinformatics, rapid sequencing, and mRNA vaccine platforms improve feasibility and speed of neoantigen therapy development. As precision oncology expands, neoantigens continue emerging as central elements of personalised immunotherapy strategies delivering highly specific, durable anti-tumour immunity.