The success of
mRNA vaccines against
COVID-19 has enhanced the potential of
lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as a system for the delivery of
mRNA. In this review, we describe our progress using a
lipid library to engineer ionizable
lipids and promote LNP technology from the viewpoints of safety, controlled biodistribution, and
mRNA vaccines. These advancements in LNP technology are applied to
cancer immunology, and a potential nano-DDS is constructed to evaluate immune status that is associated with a
cancer-immunity cycle that includes the sub-cycles in tumor microenvironments. We also discuss the importance of the delivery of
antigens and adjuvants in enhancing the
cancer-immunity cycle. Recent progress in NK cell targeting in
cancer immunotherapy is also introduced. Finally, the impact of next-generation DDS technology is explained using the MITO-Porter membrane fusion-based delivery system for the organelle targeting of the mitochondria. We introduce a successful example of the MITO-Porter used in a cell therapeutic strategy to treat
cardiomyopathy.