p(Man-TLR7-PDS)

p(Man-TLR7-PDS) is a synthetic polymeric glyco-adjuvant designed to enhance vaccine efficacy. It is a random copolymer composed of monomers that specifically target dendritic cells (DCs) via mannose-binding receptors and simultaneously activate DCs through Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7). This polymer is engineered to be conjugated to protein antigens using a self-immolative linkage, which ensures the release of chemically unmodified antigen after endocytosis. This process significantly amplifies antigen presentation to T cells, thereby eliciting robust humoral and cellular immune responses. Developed by researchers at the University of Chicago and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), p(Man-TLR7-PDS) is being investigated as a platform to improve subunit vaccines for infectious diseases, such as malaria and COVID-19, and as a therapeutic cancer vaccine.