Cell Derived Virus-Like Particles (VLP) in Future Vaccine Development
Traditionally, viral vaccines have been based on inactivated or live attenuated viruses.
While in general, they are highly effective, in some cases they fail to provide adequate
immunogenicity, safety or can even cause adverse events.
In the case of live attenuated vaccines, achieving a stable optimally
attenuated virus is often difficult and there is the potential for
reversion. Transmission to the immunocompromised individuals
is an additional concern. Inactivated vaccines run the risk of inducing enhanced disease.
Single proteins, including single protein nano-particle vaccine attempts
have not been successful to date for human use.
Various other ways of making vaccines have also been attempted by engineering the virus.
Virus-like particles show much promise as future vaccines. VLP vaccines such
as HPV are already available commercially. These VLPs are safe because they are devoid of
any viral genetic material and therefore not infectious.
The VLP technology using the expression of one or more viral structural proteins
in cells from cDNA results in spontaneous assembly of particles that resembles the real virus
morphologically and immunologically. Larger the number of viral protein particles better the
immune response expected to be.
However, for the vaccines to be cost-effective, the number of proteins have
to be limited; here the improved immune response has to be taken care of by adjuvants
We used a mammalian cell-derived VLP technology to generate VLPs in a short time
and to develop vaccines on the fast tract.
Vaccin Res Open J. 2017; 2(1): e1. doi: 10.17140/VROJ-2-e003
