Cationic oil-in-water emulsions

摘要

This invention generally relates to cationic oil-in-water emulsions that can be used to deliver negatively charged molecules, such as an RNA molecule. The emulsion particles comprise an oil core and a cationic lipid. The cationic lipid can interact with the negatively charged molecule thereby anchoring the molecule to the emulsion particles. The cationic emulsions described herein are particularly suitable for delivering nucleic acid molecules (such as an RNA molecule encoding an antigen) to cells and formulating nucleic acid-based vaccines.

主权项

1. A composition comprising an RNA molecule complexed with a particle of a cationic oil-in-water emulsion,
wherein the particle comprises (a) an oil core that is in liquid phase at 25° C., and (b) a cationic lipid, such that the overall net charge of the emulsion particle prior to RNA complexation is positive, and wherein said RNA molecule is a self-replicating RNA that encodes a protein antigen and said RNA is anchored to the surface of said particle by non-covalent interactions; wherein, when administered in an effective amount to a mammal, the composition elicits antibody titers to the antigen equal to or greater than the self-replicating RNA administered to the mammal not complexed with the particle.