Oxford Expression Technologies Launches VLP Vaccine Production Services

Oxford Expression Technologies, the award-winning specialist provider of baculovirus-based protein expression solutions, now applies its expertise to the production of recombinant vaccines, particularly in the field of virus like particle (VLP) vaccines.

VLP vaccines represent the next generation of treatment methodologies; the VLP platform offers huge potential for use as a highly effective antiviral vaccine.

The secret to virus like particle vaccines is their ability to mimic the structure of a real virus. After vaccination with these mimics, an individual’s immune response reacts largely as it would to the real virus, but due to the absence of genetic material the VLP vaccine is unable to replicate and is therefore harmless to the vaccinated individual.

VLP production requires high yields of multiple virus structural proteins to form complex structures. The expression system needed to produce these structures must be both safe and capable of producing proteins both on a small (testing) and large scale (vaccine production).

These requirements are ideally suited to Oxford Expression Technologies highly efficient and scalable baculovirus protein expression system (flashBAC).

Passing comment, Richard Broadhead, Sales and Marketing Manager at Oxford Expression Technologies said, “Baculovirus Expression systems overcome many of the problems associated with VLP production, the FDA has recently licensed a baculovirus produced VLP vaccine for use in humans (Cervarix® by GlaxoSmithKline), paving the way for further baculovirus based VLP production,” he continued, “Oxford Expression Technologies is uniquely placed to apply its existing baculovirus expertise to this exciting new field of virus like particle vaccines.”