Squalene
A pharmaceutical-grade, sustainable alternative for critical vaccine adjuvants
Squalene is a natural oil that is the active component in an important class of vaccine adjuvants. Adjuvants are a key ingredient used in vaccines to increase the immune response and ultimately help the vaccine work more effectively. Adjuvants can also allow less of the immunogen (the microbe or protein that the vaccine is targeting) to be used. Squalene has known properties as an effective carrier system for immunogens.
Traditionally, squalene is harvested from deep-sea shark livers, which has the potential to devastate shark populations and have long-lasting ecological consequences.
Amyris’ sugarcane-derived squalene can help offset this issue by providing a pharmaceutical grade alternative to shark-derived squalene. Amyris’ squalene is molecularly identical to the traditional shark source and can also provide a sustainable, traceable, and reliable source of a critical vaccine ingredient. Further, using a fermentation-based process ensures higher purity and a stable price compared to sourcing directly from sharks.