Immunotherapy of experimental cancer with a mixture of synthetic muramyl dipeptide and trehalose dimycolate.

The antitumor activity of a mixture of synthetic N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP) and trehalose-6,6'-dimycolate (TDM) (MDP+TDM) in emulsified form was studied in guinea pigs, each with a syngeneic dermal tumor and microscopically detectable metastases in regional lymph nodes. A single intralesional administration of an ultrasonically prepared emulsion containing MDP+TDM in squalane or in mineral oil caused tumor regression and elimination of lymph node metastases. Similar emulsions of MDP+TDM made with squalene or hexadecane were immunotherapeutically inactive.