Pharmacokinetic and therapeutic activity of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid stabilized with poly-L-lysine in carboxymethylcellulose [poly(I,C)-LC].

Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid stabilized with poly-L-lysine in carboxymethylcellulose [poly(I,C)-LC] significantly augmented natural killer (NK) cell activity in several tissues. Macrophage (M phi) tumoricidal activity was also markedly increased. Both effector cells were active for 9 days. Poly(I,C)-LC also increased effector cell response in vitro. Injections of poly(I,C)-LC resulted in elevated effector cell responses in four of five routes tested. Treatment with poly(I,C)-LC led to an earlier reconstitution of bone marrow cells, NK cell activity, and M phi effector cell activity in mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Combined treatment of MBL-2 tumor cells with cytoreductive chemotherapy and poly(I,C)-LC resulted in an enhanced therapeutic response.