Overview

• Researchers at NUS Medicine and the Chinese Academy of Sciences report the NICER results in a peer‑reviewed paper published September 24, 2025.
• NICER integrates cancer stem cell–specific antigen display with an epigenetic nano‑regulator to elicit a more durable anti‑tumor immune response.
• In preclinical models of breast cancer, melanoma and CSC‑enriched tumors, the vaccine halted tumor growth after surgery and reduced recurrence and lung metastasis.
• Combining the nanovaccine with immune checkpoint inhibitors yielded synergistic gains in tumor control and survival in the laboratory studies.
• The authors stress that the work remains preclinical and call for long‑term safety testing across diverse models before any clinical translation.