COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING MELITTIN-DERIVED PEPTIDES AND METHODS FOR THE POTENTIATION OF IMMUNE RESPONSES AGAINST TARGET ANTIGENS

摘要

The present invention provides novel adjuvant systems that reduce the risk of toxic side effects associated with the use of known adjuvants while providing powerful stimulation of immune responses against target antigens. These novel adjuvant systems are based on the honey bee venom melittin or specific cationic peptides derived from melittin and ae capable of eliciting strong immune responses against target antigens. To further enhance their immunogenicity they can be optionally combined with synthetic oligonucleotides (ODNs) lacking any immunostimulatory sequences such as CpG motifs.