Use of Syntex Adjuvant Formulation to Enhance Immune Responses to Viral Antigens

Abstract

There is both the need and the potential for the development of new vaccines and the improvement of existing vaccines. One aspect of this process is the development of better adjuvant formulations so that both humoral and cell-mediated immunity are enhanced. We have been interested in the adjuvant formulation area of vaccine development for some time, and believe that the Syntex Adjuvant Formulation (SAF) has a number of advantages that will make it very useful for both human and veterinary vaccines. SAF has been shown to increase both antibody synthesis and cell-mediated immunity to a variety of antigens in a number of species (Byars and Allison, 1987, Allison and Byars, 1988, Morgan et al, 1989). Cell-mediated responses have been measured by delayed hypersensitivity skin tests in vivo and by in vitro blastogenesis and/or interleukin-2 synthesis in response to antigen challenge. Animals have also been protected against live virus challenge, or against challenge with tumor cells, in situations where cell-mediated responses are a necessary component of protective immunity (Byars and McRoberts, 1986; Morgan et al, 1989; Campbell et al, 1990). SAF also increases efficacy of vaccines, compared to alum or saline control vaccines, thus allowing a reduction in either the amount of antigen per dose or in the number of doses required.