NKT cell-based vaccines

NKT cells are master regulators of immunity. NKT cell activation triggers downstream activation of antigen presenting dendritic cells, antibody producing B cells, Natural Killer (NK) cells, and T cells while inhibiting myeloid derived suppressor cells, a cascade of events that cooperate in generating effective immune responses. An important limitation to developing NKT cell activators that promote immunity against infection and cancer is that potent ligands can induce subsequent NKT cell unresponsiveness that prevents continued stimulation and function. Vaccinex and its academic collaborators have invented novel NKT cell agonists that minimize or prevent unresponsiveness. This strategy is being applied to target NKT cells to the site of antigen presentation so as to enhance vaccine induced immune responses and, in the special case of cancer, to target NKT cells to tumors so as to enhance tumor-specific immunity through recruitment and activation of cytotoxic T cells and antibody armed NK cells able to eradicate the tumor.