New adjuvants on a polymethylmethacrylate base.

A new type of adjuvant using influenza virus as an antigen is presented. The new adjuvant was produced by polymerizing monomeric methylmethacrylate in the presence of the antigen. As a comparison, influenza virus was added to previously polymerized polymethylmethacrylate particles. In animal experiments, the antibody response in mice and guinea pigs was measured. After polymerization in the presence of the antigen, the adjuvant effect was dependent on the methylmethacrylate concentration used, reaching an optimal concentration at 0.5%. This adjuvant preparation was considerably more effective than simple addition of virus to comparable polymethacrylate preparations or to aluminum hydroxide. The latter two adjuvants were approximately equivalent in effectiveness.