Vaccine compositions and adjuvant
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorsLowell A. Miller, Jack C. Rhyan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The immune response of an animal to a target immunogen may be enhanced by use of a novel adjuvant which includes low concentrations of killed cells of Mycobacterium avium subspecies avium in combination with mineral oil. The adjuvant may be used in vaccine compositions for the immunization of an animal against any target immunogen, and is particularly preferred for use with immunocontraceptive vaccines such as GnRH and PZP immunocontraceptive vaccines.
Claims11
A method for immunocontraception of an animal which comprises administering an immunocontraceptive vaccine composition to said animal which comprises:
- a. an immunogen comprising GnRH or a GnRH immunogenic analog conjugated to a carrier protein, wherein said immunogen is provided in an amount effective for inducing immunocontraception of said animal in a single dose, and
- b. an adjuvant comprising mineral oil and killed cells of Mycobacterium avium subspecies avium, the concentration of said killed cells of Mycobacterium avium being greater than or equal to about 50 μg per ml and less than or equal to about 400 μg per ml, measured as the dry weight of said killed cells per ml of said vaccine composition;
- wherein said vaccine composition is administered in a single dose, without a second or boost dose, for a period of at least one year.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.