Transdermal immunization with large proteins by means of ultradeformable drug carriers

By means of novel, ultradeformable and self-optimizing agent carriers called transfersomes, large molecules can be brought into the body through intact permeability barriers. This permits non-invasive immunization through normal skin and gives rise to a similar or even slightly higher antibody titer than subcutaneous injections of the same immunogen formulation. The former type of immunization also results in a higher IgA/IgG ratio in the blood than the repeated immunogen injections, as shown here for a soluble protein, human serum albumin, as well as for an integral membrane protein, gap junction protein, in mice.