Preparation of the Syntex Adjuvant Formulation (SAF, SAF-m, and SAF-1)

The Syntex adjuvant formulation (SAF) is an effective adjuvant composed of a muramyl dipeptide derivative (threonyl-MDP) in an oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion vehicle. Threonyl-MDP (N-acetyl muramyl-L-threonyl-D-isoglutamine) was identified as a superior adjuvant to muramyl dipeptide (N-acetyl muramylL-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, MDP) demonstrating a lack of side effects (pyrogenicity, uveitis, adjuvant-induced arthritis) and increased adjuvant activity (1 –3 ). The SAF emulsion vehicle contains Pluronic� L121 (poloxamer 401) that has exhibited adjuvant activity in its own right (4 –7 ). Many investigators have utilized the SAF adjuvant with a variety of antigens such as influenza (8 ) and malaria (9 ). Whereas SAF has shown versatility with a variety of antigens (eliciting both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses), it may be most effective with antigens that are amphipathic (10 ). An amphipathic antigenwould