Nanobodies Open New Avenues in Cancer Treatment: Beyond a Laboratory Bench

Nanobody technology is a promising new approach to cancer research and treatment. Monoclonal antibodies have always been at the heart of targeted treatment, but their large size, cumbersome production, and restricted ability to penetrate tissue cause problems. Nanobodies are derived from camelid heavy-chain antibodies and have intrinsic characteristics that provide distinct benefits, including small size (15 kDa), high stability, and access to inaccessible epitopes. Their ease of production in bacterial systems further enhances their cost-effectiveness compared to conventional antibodies. Their role has been explored, from nanobody-based imaging agents that improve tumor detection to nanobody-drug conjugates that enhance targeted delivery while minimizing off-target effects. In addition, the recent expansion of their role in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies, immune checkpoint blockade, and bispecific T-cell engagers highlights their increasing activity in immunotherapy. Similarly, nanobodies engineering is improving both dendritic cell vaccines and drug delivery through nanoparticle conjugation, expanding the therapeutic panorama. Here we provide remarkable findings about the versatility of Nbs-based strategies in oncology. Through their attractive characteristics, nanobodies’ therapeutics will change the way to treat cancer and provide new perspectives toward more effective and personalized medicine.