Advanced materials for the delivery of vaccines for infectious diseases

Infectious diseases are an increasing threat to global biosafety. Vaccination is the most effective and cost-efficient method for preventing and controlling infectious diseases. The development of new vaccines is inextricably linked to the advancement of materials that serve as essential components of vaccines, such as antigens, adjuvants, and their carriers. The physicochemical and biological properties of vaccines—such as the kinetics of antigen retention and presentation—are determined by the material compositions of vaccines and carriers, affecting the overall efficacy. The sustained release of antigens prolongs their retention time in germinal centers and improves humoral immune responses. Pulsatile release that imitates clinical dosing regimens can improve patient adherence to vaccination, affording increased vaccine coverage. Herein, we review progress of materials innovation on altering vaccine release kinetics, which affects the overall vaccine efficacy, safety, and compliance.