n-propionylated polysialic acid

**N-propionylated polysialic acid** is a synthetically modified polysialic acid in which the acetyl group of the native polysialic acid is replaced by a propionyl group. This glycan modification enhances the immunogenicity of the polymer, leading to the development of high-titer antibodies when used as a vaccine conjugate in cancer immunotherapy, specifically evaluated in small cell lung cancer (SCLC)[7] and as an antigenic determinant for monoclonal antibody targeting in multiple myeloma[4][5][6]. The mechanism leverages the immune system's response to NP-polySA, targeting cells that express polysialylated antigens, which are found in some cancers and certain bacterial pathogens. NP-polySA has been used as a KLH-conjugated vaccine to induce robust antibody responses. It is not a pharmaceutical drug on its own, but a vaccine antigen or antigenic modification used in immunotherapy research.

Other names

n-propionyl polysialic acidNP-polySANPrPSA