An adjuvant is essentially a substance that stimulates the immune response to an antigen without having any antigenic effects itself. The phrase “adjuvant” origins from the Latin word “adjuvare”, which means “help” or “helper”.

Adjuvants can thus be described as any substance that acts to boost or enhance the immune response to an antigen when introduced into the body of animals or humans.

Areas of application

Adjuvants are mostly used as an additional component in various vaccines in order to enable the vaccine to induce a strong enough immune response for protection against virus and bacterial infections. Adjuvants are also used in antibody production and in the field of basic immunology research.

Isconova´s contribution

Isconova has developed a variety of adjuvants all based on the very well known Immune Stimulating Complex (ISCOM) technology platform. Isconova’s research and developments over the years have resulted in a range of patented state-of-the-art products, all consisting of different variations of the well known open cage-like Matrix particles (se figure below). Isconova’s Adjuvants stimulate and enhance the immune response with much lower risk of side effects and toxicity compared to the traditionally used adjuvants such as Freund’s adjuvant or Aluminum hydroxide, but also other more modern adjuvants.

The production and composition of Isconova’s adjuvants are based on a unique and patented process where saponins (a class of chemical substances) are extracted and fractionized from the Quillaja saponaria tree from Chile. The different saponin fractions are then mixed with other organic compounds (such as Phospholipids and Cholestrerol), and when allowed to interact under specific stoichiometric conditions, the cage-like nano-structures are formed (see illustration above).