Scientists looking for new ways to produce flu vaccine

With the widespread shortage of the H1N1 vaccine, scientists are seeking faster and better ways to produce flu vaccine.

The traditional method, used for more than 50 years, involves growing a modified version of the current season’s flu virus in chicken eggs. The virus replicates inside the chicken egg and is harvested. The whole process, from vaccine development to harvestation, takes around five months.

Photo credit: AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky

Viruses are essentially DNA surrounded by a protein coat. Researchers are seeking a protein in the virus coat that the immune system will notice and treat as foreign. The next time someone around you sneezes and you inhale the flu virus, the immune system will recognize the coat protein and attack the virus. Although this sounds simple, coming up with the appropriate protein is extremely difficult.

One possible way of introducing this protein is to take the gene that builds the protein coat on the flu virus and incorporate it into a harmless virus, which is then introduced into the body. The immune system becomes acquainted with protein coat of the flu virus, but you don’t become ill. The immune system will now recognize and attack the harmful flu virus the next time you come into contact with it.

Another possibility is injected the “naked DNA” of the flu virus into the body. The body’s own cells will take up the DNA and produce the coat protein, essentially doing the job of the chicken eggs that are currently used. It greatly accelerates the process and eliminates the worry for those with egg allergies.

The ultimate goal is to develop a universal flu vaccine from a protein that is contained within all flu viruses. Viruses mutate and change slightly each year, which is why yearly flu vaccines are necessary. “We’re not anywhere near close to that, but the concepts are starting to fall into place,” says Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. [NPR]

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Taiwan scientists pioneer DNA vaccine patches

Taiwan News Online

Central News Agency
Page 2
2009-06-25 12:52 AM

A Taiwanese research team has made a breakthrough in the development of DNA-based vaccine patches that can replace invasive injections as a vaccine delivery method. The research team leader, Wu Chang-jer, an associate professor at National Taiwan Ocean University, said the DNA-based vaccine patch uses the skin’s liposomes as a transport vehicle to deliver vaccine into the body. Although the cost of producing a DNA-based vaccine patch is about the same as a regular dose of DNA-based vaccine, the patches are easier to apply, free from the risk of needle contamination and more comfortable for the inoculation receivers, he noted. The DNA vaccine patches, if approved for use on humans, could be used to deliver vaccines against Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis C, dengue fever and even SARS or influenza A(H1N1), Wu said.

DNAWellnessInfo.com Resource:  http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=985726&lang=eng_news

Initial results from clinical trials of a DNA vaccine for type I diabetes are encouraging

Robert Scheinman – Denver Diabetes Examiner

June 10, 10:46 AM

Bayhill Therapeutics, Inc announced today that it is collaborating with Genentech in the production of a DNA based vaccine to treat type I diabetes. The vaccine, an antigen specific immunotherapy, is currently in phase I/II trials. Bayhill Therapeutics will finish out the ongoing trials and Genentech will then proceed with all future research and development of the vaccine.

The vaccine is currently referred to by the code BHT-3021. It was developed by Dr. Peter Gottleib, a physician scientist working in the Barbara Davis Center at the University of Colorado Denver. He recently presented interim clinical trial data at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Session in New Orleans.  Type I diabetes patients who still retained some insulin production were given the vaccine by weekly intramuscular injections. A placebo group was similarly treated with an inactive substance. The study group showed a stabilization of the study group’s insulin production over the 12 week study period. All adverse effects were mild and the data suggests that BHT-3021 will be well tolerated.

BHT-3021 encodes the proinsulin gene and is designed to target immune cells that are attacking insulin secreting cells. Animal studies have shown that indeed this vaccine does modulate the immune system, restoring tolerance to beta cells. It is important to note that this vaccine will only work for type I diabetes patients who still retain some insulin production.

For more information, contact the Barbara Davis Center.

DNAWellnessinfo.com Resource:  http://www.examiner.com/x-10874-Denver-Diabetes-Examiner~y2009m6d10-Initial-results-from-clinical-trials-of-a-DNA-vaccine-for-type-I-diabetes-are-encouraging