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. 2022 Jun 22;30(9):599–608. doi: 10.1007/s13233-022-0068-y

Biopolymers and Osmolytes — A Focus towards the Prospects of Stability and Adjuvanticity of Vaccines

Krubha Athirathinam 1, Selvasudha Nandakumar 2, Ruckmani Kandasamy 1,✉
PMCID: PMC9217723  PMID: 35762006

Abstract

‘New-Gen Vaccines’ are grabbing the attention of scientists as they are much suitable for an immune-compromised group of individuals as well as infants. The major drawbacks of these vaccines are lower immunogenicity and instability. The need for a convenient and safe adjuvant is still under exploration. On the other hand, thermal instability leads to the inactivation of the vaccine and becomes detrimental in many cases. Thus, there is a need to incorporate new kinds of excipients into vaccine formulation to enhance the potency/immunogenicity of vaccine antigens and also act as stabilizers. A limited or single excipient in providing the required dual-activity is vital to break the stereotypical usage of the well-entrenched adverse ingredients. In the proposed review, the efficiency of naturally occurring biocompatible carbohydrate polymers and osmolytes and their ‘dual-role’ is briefed. In addition, the information on the possible mechanisms of action of carbohydrate polymers in vaccines as adjuvants and stabilizers are also discussed.

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Keywords: bio-molecules, carbohydrate polymers, osmolytes, mechanism of action, new-gen vaccines, vaccine excipients

Footnotes

Acknowledgment: We would like to acknowledge the support from the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Government of India, New Delhi, and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Government of India, New Delhi.

Publisher’s Note

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Competing statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Authorship statement

Krubha Athirathinam: Conceptualization, Data curation, Writing-Original draft preparation and Writing-Reviewing and Editing. Selvasudha Nandakumar: Data curation and Visualization, Investigation. Ruckmani Kandasamy: Conceptualization, Visualization, Investigation, and Supervision.

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