An Overview of Different Types of Adjuvants and Their Application

Vaccination is one of the most efficient strategies for the prevention of infectious diseases. Vaccines, including subunit, recombinant, and conjugate vaccines, require the use of an adjuvant for maximum efficacy (They are safe, but poorly immunogenic). Adjuvants not only enhance the strength and longevity of immune responses but may also influence the type of immune system responses. Nevertheless, few adjuvants are licensed for human vaccines and various formulations are now being accepted in clinical trials. There is no universal adjuvant to cover all vaccine needs. The appropriate selection of adjuvants to match the antigens is key to the formulation of novel and efficacious vaccines. In this review, we briefly describe the most well-known adjuvants used in experimental and clinical settings based on their main mechanisms of action

Keywords:

vaccines , adjuvants , drug delivery , emulsions , liposomes , alum