Experts highlight how advanced adjuvant systems are reshaping vaccine efficacy, immune responses, and global immunization strategies.
The session “Adjuvants as a Game Changer for New Biologicals”, held during the 10th International Symposium on Immunobiologicals (ISI), brought together international experts to discuss the strategic role of adjuvants in the development of next-generation vaccines and biologicals.
Chaired by Hugo Tonioli Defendi (Fiocruz/Bio-Manguinhos), the session featured Dennis Christensen (Croda), Aneesh Thakur (VIDO/University of Saskatchewan), Pi-Hui Liang (ImmunAdd), and Milena Akamatsu (Instituto Butantan).
Prior to the main session, two poster oral presentations provided relevant contributions. Barbara Araujo Nogueira presented a comparative study on immunization against Acinetobacter baumannii, analyzing the relationship between humoral response and functional protection. Francisco Ibanez presented results on a Chagas disease vaccine adjuvanted with QS-21 GH, highlighting its immunological efficacy and therapeutic potential.
Opening the session, Dennis Christensen discussed the rational design of adjuvant systems for next-generation vaccines. He emphasized how different adjuvant combinations can modulate specific immune responses, enabling the development of more effective and targeted vaccines.
Aneesh Thakur then presented lipid nanostructures as a platform for next-generation vaccine adjuvants. According to him, these technologies represent a new paradigm, offering improved stability, targeted immune responses, and scalability for global vaccine production.
Pi-Hui Liang introduced the application of glycobiology in adjuvant design, highlighting how carbohydrate interactions can influence immune responses and open new possibilities for vaccine development.
Closing the session, Milena Akamatsu presented the development of IB160, a squalene-based emulsion adjuvant developed at Instituto Butantan for influenza pandemic response. She highlighted its strategic potential for pandemic preparedness and strengthening rapid response capabilities.
Throughout the discussion, it became clear that adjuvants are no longer secondary components, but central elements in designing more effective, adaptable, and scalable vaccines.
The session reinforced that innovation in biologicals increasingly depends on the ability to precisely shape immune responses, expanding the impact of vaccines on global health.
Text: Marcela Dobarro
Image: Monara Barreto
