United States Patent:  6,093,406

Assignee:  The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army (Washington, DC)

Filed:  February 27, 1995

Vaccines for the induction of immunity to malaria, based on aluminum hydroxide-treated, lipid A- and malarial antigen-containing liposomes, are described. Vaccines of this sort are useful in both humans and animals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a vaccine suitable for induction of immunity against malaria in man and/or animals.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a vaccine comprising an adjuvant that is capable of enhancing the immune response to a malarial antigen in man and/or in animals.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vaccine to a malarial antigen that does not require the use of a large quantity of such an antigen.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for inducing immunity in humans or animals to a malarial parasite by use of a vaccine as described above.

In accomplishing these and other objects, there has been provided a vaccine comprising liposomes adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide, wherein said liposomes comprise lipid A and a malarial antigen.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there has been provided a method of inducing an immune response against a malarial parasite comprising the step of injecting a mammal with a vaccine as described above.

Claim 1 of 22 Claims

1. A protective vaccine comprising a prophylactically effective amount of aluminum hydroxide-adsorbed liposomes and a medium suitable for injection, wherein said liposomes further comprise lipid A and a malarial antigen, wherein said malarial antigen is R32NS1₈₁.

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