The invention relates to our discovery of a novel double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) having specific biological activities, which includes acting as a selective agonist for activation of the Toll-like receptor 3. Its "rugged" molecular structure as measured by physico-chemical techniques is resistant to molecular unfolding (i.e., denaturation). This structure appears to be responsible for increased efficacy of dsRNA in therapeutic applications and improved biological activity (e.g., used as an immunoregulatory agent). Medicaments, processes for their manufacture, and methods for their use are provided herein.
