engleski

Development of structurally defined saponin-based vaccine adjuvants

Adjuvants are substances that enhance the immunogenicity of a vaccine in order to achieve strong and durable immune responses to specific antigens. Immunoadjuvants isolated from the Quillaja saponaria Molina tree bark are very promising candidates in the development of synthetic structurally defined vaccine adjuvants. The lead compound from this series, QS-21, is one of the most potent adjuvants known to date. After being studied in over 100 clinical trials, it is finally approved for human use (herpes zoster vaccine Shingrix®, GSK). Many clinical trials of QS-21 in vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer are currently on the way. However, Quillaja saponins (QS) have inherent drawbacks which restrain their wider use, such as: chemical instability, limited supply, laborious purification process and dose-limiting toxicity. Therefore, there is a need for the development of structurally defined, homogeneous and simplified QS saponin-based adjuvants with improved chemical stability and synthetic accessibility. Chemical synthesis is currently the only viable way to access structurally defined QS analogs in a sufficient amount for adjuvant screenings and potential application in clinics. The lecture will focus on the recent progress in the design, synthesis, and immunological evaluations of new QS analogs based on the structures of natural QS-7 and QS-17/18 Quillaja saponins.

Quillaja saponaria, immunoadjuvants, oligosaccharide synthesis

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