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Wang H, Hu X, Zhang M, Yang L, Xu Y, Gu X, Jiang J, Hu W. Development of an HSV-1 production process involving serum-reduced culturing and bead-to-bead transfer. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:383. [PMID: 38896301 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13193-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) plays an important role in the field of gene therapy and viral vaccines, especially as an oncolytic virus. However, the mass production of HSV-1 viral vectors remains a challenge in the industry. In this study, a microcarrier-mediated serum-reduced medium culture was used to improve the bioprocess of HSV-1 production and increase HSV-1 yields. The composition of the culture media, which included a basal medium, serum concentration, and glutamine additive, was optimized. The process was successfully conducted in a 1 L bioreactor, and virus production was threefold greater than that of conventional processes with a 10% serum medium. The bead-to-bead transfer process was also developed to further increase scalability. In spinner flasks, the detachment rate increased from 49.4 to 80.6% when combined agitation was performed during digestion; the overall recovery proportion increased from 37.9 to 71.1% after the operational steps were optimized. Specifically, microcarrier loss was reduced during aspiration and transfer, and microcarriers and detached cells were separated with filters. Comparable cell growth was achieved with the baseline process using 2D culture as the inoculum by exchanging the subculture medium. To increase virus production after bead-to-bead transfer, critical parameters, including shear stress during digestion, TrypLE and EDTA concentrations in the subculture, and the CCI, were identified from 47 parameters via correlation analysis and principal component analysis. The optimized bead-to-bead transfer process achieved an average of 90.4% overall recovery and comparable virus production compared to that of the baseline process. This study is the first to report the optimization of HSV-1 production in Vero cells cultured on microcarriers in serum-reduced medium after bead-to-bead transfer. KEY POINTS: • An HSV-1 production process was developed that involves culturing in serum-reduced medium, and this process achieved threefold greater virus production than that of traditional processes. • An indirect bead-to-bead transfer process was developed with over 90% recovery yield in bioreactors. • HSV-1 production after bead-to-bead transfer was optimized and was comparable to that achieved with 2D culture as inoculum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helin Wang
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China
| | - Xiuhua Hu
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China
| | - Mingfang Zhang
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China
| | - Yueying Xu
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China
| | - Xiaoxu Gu
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China
| | - Junjun Jiang
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China.
| | - Weiwei Hu
- Microbial and Viral Platforms (MVP), WuXi Biologics, 291 Fucheng Road, Hangzhou, 311106, China.
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2
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Kumar V, Barwal A, Sharma N, Mir DS, Kumar P, Kumar V. Therapeutic proteins: developments, progress, challenges, and future perspectives. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:112. [PMID: 38510462 PMCID: PMC10948735 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-03958-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteins are considered magic molecules due to their enormous applications in the health sector. Over the past few decades, therapeutic proteins have emerged as a promising treatment option for various diseases, particularly cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and others. The formulation of protein-based therapies is a major area of research, however, a few factors still hinder the large-scale production of these therapeutic products, such as stability, heterogenicity, immunogenicity, high cost of production, etc. This review provides comprehensive information on various sources and production of therapeutic proteins. The review also summarizes the challenges currently faced by scientists while developing protein-based therapeutics, along with possible solutions. It can be concluded that these proteins can be used in combination with small molecular drugs to give synergistic benefits in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vimal Kumar
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Arti Barwal
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Panjab University, South Campus, Sector-25, Chandigarh, 160014 India
| | - Nitin Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Mohali, Punjab 140307 India
| | - Danish Shafi Mir
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 India
| | - Vikas Kumar
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
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3
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Ebrahimian A, Schalk M, Dürkop M, Maurer M, Bliem R, Kühnel H. Seed Train Optimization in Microcarrier-Based Cell Culture Post In Situ Cell Detachment through Scale-Down Hybrid Modeling. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:268. [PMID: 38534542 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11030268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Microcarrier-based cell culture is a commonly used method to facilitate the growth of anchorage-dependent cells like MA 104 for antigen manufacturing. However, conventionally, static cell culture is employed for cell propagation before seeding the production bioreactor with microcarriers (MCs). This study demonstrates the effective replacement of the conventional method by serial subculturing on MCs with in situ cell detachment under optimal conditions in closed culture units. This study proves that MA 104 can be subcultured at least five times on Cytodex 1 MC without the need for separating cells and MC after cell harvest. Process parameters impacting cell growth were studied post in situ cell detachment in a scaled-down model. Optimization, using augmented Design of Experiments (DoE) combined with hybrid modeling, facilitated rapid screening of the design space for critical process parameters (CPPs). Optimized conditions included an inoculation density of >16 cells/bead, 3.5-4.5 g/L of Cytodex 1, and a controlled agitation speed, starting at Njs (minimum agitation speed) for the first day with a maximum increase of 25% thereafter. With these design spaces for CPPs, a cell density of 2.6 ± 0.5 × 106 cells/mL was achieved after five days. This refined bioprocess methodology offers a reliable and efficient approach for seed training in stirred tank reactors, which is particularly beneficial for viral vaccine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Ebrahimian
- ACIB-Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Department of Applied Life Science, Bioengineering, FH-Campus Wien, 1100 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mona Schalk
- ACIB-Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Department of Applied Life Science, Bioengineering, FH-Campus Wien, 1100 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Michael Maurer
- Department of Applied Life Science, Bioengineering, FH-Campus Wien, 1100 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rudolf Bliem
- Department of Applied Life Science, Bioengineering, FH-Campus Wien, 1100 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Harald Kühnel
- Department of Applied Life Science, Bioengineering, FH-Campus Wien, 1100 Vienna, Austria
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4
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Cohen N, Simon I, Hazan O, Tal A, Tzadok H, Levin L, Girshengorn M, Mimran LC, Natan N, Baruhi T, David AB, Rosen O, Shmaya S, Borni S, Cohen N, Lupu E, Kedmi A, Zilberman O, Jayson A, Monash A, Dor E, Diamant E, Goldvaser M, Cohen-Gihon I, Israeli O, Lazar S, Shifman O, Beth-Din A, Zvi A, Oren Z, Makovitzki A, Lerer E, Mimran A, Toister E, Zichel R, Adar Y, Epstein E. Enhanced production yields of rVSV-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine using Fibra-Cel ® macrocarriers. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1333548. [PMID: 38449674 PMCID: PMC10915211 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1333548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to high global demand for vaccines to safeguard public health. To that end, our institute has developed a recombinant viral vector vaccine utilizing a modified vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) construct, wherein the G protein of VSV is replaced with the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (rVSV-ΔG-spike). Previous studies have demonstrated the production of a VSV-based vaccine in Vero cells adsorbed on Cytodex 1 microcarriers or in suspension. However, the titers were limited by both the carrier surface area and shear forces. Here, we describe the development of a bioprocess for rVSV-ΔG-spike production in serum-free Vero cells using porous Fibra-Cel® macrocarriers in fixed-bed BioBLU®320 5p bioreactors, leading to high-end titers. We identified core factors that significantly improved virus production, such as the kinetics of virus production, the use of macrospargers for oxygen supply, and medium replenishment. Implementing these parameters, among others, in a series of GMP production processes improved the titer yields by at least two orders of magnitude (2e9 PFU/mL) over previously reported values. The developed process was highly effective, repeatable, and robust, creating potent and genetically stable vaccine viruses and introducing new opportunities for application in other viral vaccine platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Cohen
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Irit Simon
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Ophir Hazan
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Arnon Tal
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Hanan Tzadok
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Lilach Levin
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Meni Girshengorn
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Lilach Cherry Mimran
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Niva Natan
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Tzadok Baruhi
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Alon Ben David
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Osnat Rosen
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Shlomo Shmaya
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Sarah Borni
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Noa Cohen
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Edith Lupu
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Adi Kedmi
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Orian Zilberman
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Avital Jayson
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Arik Monash
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Eyal Dor
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Eran Diamant
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Michael Goldvaser
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Israel Institute for Biological, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Inbar Cohen-Gihon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Ofir Israeli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Shirley Lazar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Ohad Shifman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Adi Beth-Din
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Anat Zvi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Ziv Oren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Arik Makovitzki
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Elad Lerer
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Avishai Mimran
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Einat Toister
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Ran Zichel
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Yaakov Adar
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
| | - Eyal Epstein
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
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Wang Y, Troutman MC, Hofmann C, Gonzalez A, Song L, Levin R, Pixley HY, Kearns K, DePhillips P, Loughney JW. Fully automated high-throughput immuno-µPlaque assay for live-attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine development. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1356600. [PMID: 38410513 PMCID: PMC10895029 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1356600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Dengue fever has remained a continuing global medical threat that impacts half of the world's population. Developing a highly effective dengue vaccine, with live-attenuated tetravalent vaccines as leading candidates, remains essential in preventing this disease. For the development of live virus vaccines (LVVs), potency measurements play a vital role in quantifying the active components of vaccine drug substance as well as drug product during various stages of research, development, and post-licensure evaluations. Traditional plaque-based assays are one of the most common potency test methods, but they generally take up to weeks to complete. Less labor and time-intensive potency assays are thus called for to aid in the acceleration of vaccine development, especially for multivalent LVVs. Here, we introduce a fully automated, 96-well format µPlaque assay that has been optimized as a high-throughput tool to evaluate process and formulation development of a live-attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a miniaturized viral plaque method for dengue with full automation via an integrated robotic system. Compared to the traditional manual plaque assay, this newly developed method substantially reduces testing time by approximately half and allows for the evaluation of over ten times more samples per run. The fully automated workflow, from cell culture to plaque counting, significantly minimizes analyst hands-on time and improves assay repeatability. The study presents a pioneering solution for the rapid measurement of LVV viral titers, offering promising prospects for advancing vaccine development through high-throughput analytics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Matthew C. Troutman
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Carl Hofmann
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Ariel Gonzalez
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Liping Song
- Biostatistics, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Robert Levin
- Vaccine Drug Product Development, Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Heidi Yoder Pixley
- Vaccine Drug Product Development, Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Kristine Kearns
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - Pete DePhillips
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
| | - John W. Loughney
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, United States
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6
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Kuczynski LE, Shallow JR, Watson MP, Homsy ML, Svab T, Gruber A, Rustandi RR, Hu J, Winters MA. Adaptation of an rVSV Ebola vaccine purification process for rapid development of a viral vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300041. [PMID: 37766672 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, long development timelines typically associated with vaccines were challenged. The urgent need for a vaccine provided a strong driver to reevaluate existing vaccine development approaches. Innovative approaches to regulatory approval were realized, including the use of platform-based technology. In collaboration with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Inc. (IAVI), Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA rapidly advanced an investigational SARS-CoV-2 vaccine based on the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) platform used for the Ebola vaccine ERVEBO (rVSV∆G-ZEBOV-GP). An rVSV∆G-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate was generated using the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to replace the VSV G protein. The purification process development for this vaccine candidate was detailed in this paper. Areas were highlighted where the ERVEBO platform process was successfully adopted and where additional measures were needed for the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate. These included: (i) endonuclease addition directly into the bioreactor prior to harvest, (ii) inclusion of a core-shell chromatography step for improved purification, and (iii) incorporation of a terminal, sterile filtration step to eliminate the need for aseptic, closed processing. High infectious virus titers were achieved in Phase 3 clinical drug substance (>108 PFU mL-1 ), and process consistency was demonstrated across four large scale batches that were completed in 6 months from clone selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Kuczynski
- Vaccine Process Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James R Shallow
- Vaccine Process Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Matthew P Watson
- Vaccine Process Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael L Homsy
- Vaccine Process Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Thomas Svab
- Vaccine Process Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ashley Gruber
- Analytical Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Richard R Rustandi
- Analytical Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jianfang Hu
- Center of Mathematical Sciences, MMD, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael A Winters
- Vaccine Process Research & Development, MRL, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
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Chauhan S, Khasa YP. Challenges and Opportunities in the Process Development of Chimeric Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1828. [PMID: 38140232 PMCID: PMC10747103 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines are integral to human life to protect them from life-threatening diseases. However, conventional vaccines often suffer limitations like inefficiency, safety concerns, unavailability for non-culturable microbes, and genetic variability among pathogens. Chimeric vaccines combine multiple antigen-encoding genes of similar or different microbial strains to protect against hyper-evolving drug-resistant pathogens. The outbreaks of dreadful diseases have led researchers to develop economical chimeric vaccines that can cater to a large population in a shorter time. The process development begins with computationally aided omics-based approaches to design chimeric vaccines. Furthermore, developing these vaccines requires optimizing upstream and downstream processes for mass production at an industrial scale. Owing to the complex structures and complicated bioprocessing of evolving pathogens, various high-throughput process technologies have come up with added advantages. Recent advancements in high-throughput tools, process analytical technology (PAT), quality-by-design (QbD), design of experiments (DoE), modeling and simulations, single-use technology, and integrated continuous bioprocessing have made scalable production more convenient and economical. The paradigm shift to innovative strategies requires significant attention to deal with major health threats at the global scale. This review outlines the challenges and emerging avenues in the bioprocess development of chimeric vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yogender Pal Khasa
- Department of Microbiology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India;
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8
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Ouyang MJ, Ao Z, Olukitibi TA, Lawrynuik P, Shieh C, Kung SKP, Fowke KR, Kobasa D, Yao X. Oral Immunization with rVSV Bivalent Vaccine Elicits Protective Immune Responses, Including ADCC, against Both SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A Viruses. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1404. [PMID: 37766083 PMCID: PMC10534613 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11091404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 and influenza both cause enormous disease burdens, and vaccines are the primary measures for their control. Since these viral diseases are transmitted through the mucosal surface of the respiratory tract, developing an effective and convenient mucosal vaccine should be a high priority. We previously reported a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based bivalent vaccine (v-EM2/SPΔC1Delta) that protects animals from both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses via intramuscular and intranasal immunization. Here, we further investigated the immune response induced by oral immunization with this vaccine and its protective efficacy in mice. The results demonstrated that the oral delivery, like the intranasal route, elicited strong and protective systemic immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus. This included high levels of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2, as well as strong anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and anti-influenza M2 ADCC responses in mice sera. Furthermore, it provided efficient protection against challenge with influenza H1N1 virus in a mouse model, with a 100% survival rate and a significantly low lung viral load of influenza virus. All these findings provide substantial evidence for the effectiveness of oral immunization with the rVSV bivalent vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Jing Ouyang
- Laboratory of Molecular Human Retrovirology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 508-745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (M.J.O.); (Z.A.); (T.A.O.); (P.L.); (C.S.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (K.R.F.); (D.K.)
| | - Zhujun Ao
- Laboratory of Molecular Human Retrovirology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 508-745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (M.J.O.); (Z.A.); (T.A.O.); (P.L.); (C.S.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (K.R.F.); (D.K.)
| | - Titus A. Olukitibi
- Laboratory of Molecular Human Retrovirology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 508-745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (M.J.O.); (Z.A.); (T.A.O.); (P.L.); (C.S.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (K.R.F.); (D.K.)
| | - Peter Lawrynuik
- Laboratory of Molecular Human Retrovirology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 508-745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (M.J.O.); (Z.A.); (T.A.O.); (P.L.); (C.S.)
| | - Christopher Shieh
- Laboratory of Molecular Human Retrovirology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 508-745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (M.J.O.); (Z.A.); (T.A.O.); (P.L.); (C.S.)
| | - Sam K. P. Kung
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W3, Canada;
| | - Keith R. Fowke
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (K.R.F.); (D.K.)
| | - Darwyn Kobasa
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (K.R.F.); (D.K.)
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3L5, Canada
| | - Xiaojian Yao
- Laboratory of Molecular Human Retrovirology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 508-745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (M.J.O.); (Z.A.); (T.A.O.); (P.L.); (C.S.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; (K.R.F.); (D.K.)
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