Vaccines represent one of the most significant inventions in human history and have revolutionized global health. Generally, a vaccine functions by triggering the innate immune response and stimulating antigen-presenting cells, leading to a defensive adaptive immune response against a specific pathogen's antigen. As a key element, adjuvants are chemical materials often employed as additives to increase a vaccine's efficacy and immunogenicity. For over 90 years, adjuvants have been essential components in many human vaccines, improving their efficacy by enhancing, modulating, and prolonging the immune response. Here, we provide a timely and comprehensive review of the historical development and the current status of adjuvants, covering their classification, mechanisms of action, and roles in different vaccines. Additionally, we perform systematic analysis of the current licensing processes and highlights notable examples from clinical trials involving vaccine adjuvants. Looking ahead, we anticipate future trends in the field, including the development of new adjuvant formulations, the creation of innovative adjuvants, and their integration into the broader scope of systems vaccinology and vaccine delivery. The article posits that a deeper understanding of biochemistry, materials science, and vaccine immunology is crucial for advancing vaccine technology. Such advancements are expected to lead to the future development of more effective vaccines, capable of combating emerging infectious diseases and enhancing public health.

中文翻译：

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疫苗佐剂：现状、研发、许可和未来机遇

疫苗是人类历史上最重要的发明之一，彻底改变了全球健康。一般来说，疫苗通过触发先天免疫反应和刺激抗原呈递细胞发挥作用，从而产生针对特定病原体抗原的防御性适应性免疫反应。作为关键要素，佐剂是通常用作添加剂以提高疫苗功效和免疫原性的化学材料。 90 多年来，佐剂一直是许多人类疫苗的重要组成部分，通过增强、调节和延长免疫反应来提高其功效。在这里，我们及时全面地回顾了佐剂的历史发展和现状，包括佐剂的分类、作用机制以及在不同疫苗中的作用。此外，我们对当前的许可流程进行系统分析，并重点介绍涉及疫苗佐剂的临床试验中的值得注意的例子。展望未来，我们预计该领域的未来趋势，包括新佐剂配方的开发、创新佐剂的创造以及它们融入更广泛的系统疫苗学和疫苗输送领域。文章认为，对生物化学、材料科学和疫苗免疫学的更深入了解对于推进疫苗技术至关重要。这些进步预计将导致未来开发出更有效的疫苗，能够对抗新出现的传染病并增强公共卫生。