American Cyanamid Company

Luuk Hilgers

Michel Strebelle

Mucosal adjuvants for vaccines contain water-soluble polyanionic polymers which have anionic constitutional units obtained from acids such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, ethylsulphonic acid, vinylsulphuric acid, vinylsulphonic acid, styrenesulphonic acid, vinylphenylsulphuric acid, 2-methacryloyloxyethane sulphonic acid, 3-methacryloyloxy-2-hydroxypropanesulphonic acid, 3-methacryl amido-3-methylbutanoic acid, acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid, vinylphosphoric acid, 4-vinylbenzoic acid, 3-vinyl oxypropane-1-sulphonic acid, N-vinylsuccinimidic acid, and salts of the foregoing. The polyanionic polymers may further have hydrophobic constitutional repeating units, such as alkylesters, cycloalkylesters, hydroxyalkylesters, ethers, glycols, aromatic groups and salts thereof. The adjuvants containing the polyanionic polymers are used in vaccines for the induction or enhancement of mucosal immune responses.

Polyanionic polymers as adjuvants for mucosal immunization

Vaccine adjuvants comprising a liquid medium contain polymers with anionic constitutive repeating units and hydrophobic constitutive repeating units. Advantageously, the adjuvants are aqueous solutions of partially esterified polyacrylic acids. The novel adjuvants are highly stable, effective and have a relatively low level of local toxicity. Further, vaccines comprising such adjuvants and a process for producing them are described.

Adjuvants for vaccines

Vaccine adjuvants comprising a sulpholipid polysaccharide in combination with an interface-forming constituent. The invention also provides a method for preparing a vaccine by emulsifying an aqueous solution of an antigen and a sulpholipid polysaccharide. The adjuvants are stable at high temperatures, and are at least as effective as conventional adjuvants. Their local toxicity, i.e. their reactogenicity, is generally lower than that of conventional adjuvants.

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Utrecht, Netherlands

Luuk Hilgers