Non-toxic immunogens for therapeutic anticytokine vaccines.

Over the last decade, the availability of purified cytokines and of cytokine antibodies (Abs) has prompted both scientists and pharmaceutical companies to develop anticytokine Ab therapy, and clinical trials have shown that anticytokine Abs are transiently effective. Active immunization may offer advantages over passive immunization in many situations. As anticipated from basic research, preclinical experiments and recent trials, such vaccines are safe and elicit high neutralizing anti-Ab titers. Repeated booster injections at 4 +/- 2 month intervals are however necessary to maintain long-term, high-affinity Ab response and efficacy. Anticytokine vaccines, alone or in combination with other therapies, represent potential treatments for chronic diseases such as AIDS, cancer, allergy and autoimmunity.