Lipovaxin
for targeted delivery of liposomal cargo to DC-specific ligands
The Lipovaxin platform is a system that facilitates targeted delivery of nano-vehicles and their cargo to specific cell types. Lipovaxin nano-vehicles are specifically targeted to DCs using liposome-anchored DC ligands including antibodies, antibody fragments or TLR ligands. The vaccines also include a DC stimulatory signal (a cytokine or TLR ligand) for effective immune activation. Lipovaxin vaccines can incorporate a wide spectrum of molecules, and can, for example, deliver complex mixtures of native antigens extracted from cancer cells or bacterial pathogens.
A critical component of the Lipovaxin vehicle is a lipid, which consists of the chelating moiety 3-nitrilotriacetic acid (3NTA) linked to a ditetradecylamine lipid (DTDA). The 3NTA structure is able to bind soluble, recombinant, histidine-tagged proteins in a stable fashion. Using this approach, histidine-tagged DC ligands as well as recombinant histidine-tagged antigens can be securely anchored to the Lipovaxin vehicle.
Lipovaxin nano-vehicles enable the construction of multivalent vaccines and immunotherapies. They provide a versatile solution for the simultaneous delivery of multiple antigens (including complex undefined antigens) to DCs with concomitant DC activation and maturation. The approach is particularly suitable for vaccines that target diseases for which the delivery of multiple antigens is important. Targeted delivery can be achieved safely both in vitro and in vivo.
Two vaccines based on the Lipovaxin platform are:
- Lipovaxin-MM — an immunotherapy for malignant melanoma
- Lipovaxin-TB — multi-component vaccines for tuberculosis.
