CVR - Coronavirus Vaccines R&D Roadmap

Milestone
3.2.h

Adjuvant use

In progress

Determine if any adjuvants can improve vaccine efficacy, breadth, or durability for SARS-CoV-2 variants and other coronaviruses without compromising safety.

Progress Highlights

Several studies have determined that a combination of aluminum hydroxide and CpG adjuvants resulted in a more robust immune response compared to using either adjuvant alone in preclinical studies of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Multiple studies comparing Alhydrogel and Adjuphos adjuvants in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have determined that Adjuphos resulted in better immunogenicity and T-cell responses in mice.

Mucosal vaccine candidates targeting SARS-CoV-2 and MERS have concluded that the addition of human beta-defensin 2 enhanced efficacy in animal models.

Hu 2025 found that Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) can enhance systemic (IgG1) and mucosal (IgA) antibody responses, across variants, when co-administered with a SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine. Most augmentative when administered with intranasal vaccines. Promotes dendritic cell activation and migration. Enhances generation of Tfh cells and germinal center memory B cells