The ideal Adjuvant
The Wittycell’s adjuvants are based on iNKT agonists.
Discovered about a decade ago, iNTK lymphocytes represent a population of unconventional T-lymphocytes involved in the earliest stage of the immune response that represent the bridge between innate and adaptive immune systems. These cells have the unique ability to recognize lipid antigens presented by the Cd1d molecule that is expressed by Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs), including Dendritic Cells (DCs). A complex stimulation pathway through cross talk, cytokine release, and negative feed back loop systems lead to a perfect modulation of the immunje system to increase immunogenicity of a dedicated antigen. The targeting of iNKT cells in vivo with lipid antigen defined as iNKT agonist offers a great opportunity to improve vaccination strategies.
All of the Wittycell’s adjuvants are based on iNKT agonist, and use this mechanism of action. Based on Wittycell’s pre-clinical data, this mechanism is more potent in the indications tested than targeting DC activation directly, e.g. via TLR agonists, and is less aggressive than a direct cytokine approach, such as the use of IFN-g. The limitation of inflammatory induction with the use of Wittycell’s adjuvants is due to the presence of a negative feed-back mechanism created by the complex stimulation pathway of cell interaction and cytokine release, as shown in the diagram below :
