How to make a swine flu vaccine
by ARTiFactor on May. 31st, 2009
in Scientific Enterprise and Human Organism
US pays billion dollars for developing new flu vaccine
The latest information from Pandemicflu.gov explains the next steps toward an H1N1 influenza vaccine.
BARDA
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which is part of the Dept. on HHS, has an official “fact sheet” explaining 2009 H1N1 Vaccine Development Activities.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is directing nearly $1.1 billion in existing preparedness funds to manufacture two important parts of a vaccine for the Strategic National Stockpile, to produce small amounts of potential vaccine for research, and to perform clinical research over the summer. HHS press release
How do vaccines work?
Vaccines work by tricking the immune system into thinking it has been infected with the H1N1 swine flu virus so that it creates antibodies against it. The vaccine is a hybrid of the virus which is similar enough that our immune system will develop antibodies against a specific virus.
How is swine flu vaccine made?
We are now starting step 4.
obtain typical sample of novel H1N1 virus
reproduce sample in eggs
Mix H1N1 and PR8 viruses into eggs and allowing a hybrid strain to be created through a natural re-assortment of their genes
Multiply seed virus into millions of doses
test virus in people to determine the most effective and safest dose to generate a strong immune response to the 2009-H1N1 virus
decide whether to use adjuvants
mass produce vaccine
What is an adjuvant?
An adjuvant is an additive to a vaccine that helps to generate a stronger immune response to the vaccine. When using an adjuvant it is often possible to reduce the size of the vaccine dose and the number of doses needed. Special permission from the Food and Drug Administration will be needed for the adjuvants to be used, as neither one is currently approved for use in this country. Washington Post
Can vaccines be made without using eggs?
“The federal government has given the vaccine industry $1.3 billion to spur a shift from growing the viruses in eggs to growing them in stainless steel tanks containing mammalian cells.
Such cell culture could shave a few weeks off the process, experts estimate, and would eliminate the need for millions of eggs on short notice. Some vaccines made in cells have been approved in Europe but not in the United States.” New York Times
