title: Bioprocess engineering issues that would be faced in producing a DNA vaccine at up to 100 m3 fermentation scale for an influenza pandemic.
abstract: The risk of a pandemic with a virulent form of influenza is acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies. Current vaccine production facilities would be unable to meet the global requirement for vaccine. As a possible supplement a DNA vaccine may be appropriate, and bioprocess engineering factors bearing on the use of existing biopharmaceutical and antibiotics plants to produce it are described. This approach addresses the uncertainty of timing of a pandemic that precludes purpose-built facilities. The strengths and weaknesses of alternative downstream processing routes are analyzed, and several gaps in public domain information are addressed. The conclusion is that such processing would be challenging but feasible.
authors.affiliation: The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, UK.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoare
authors.forename: M Susana
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Bracewell
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Doig
authors.forename: Simyee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Titchener-Hooker
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dunnill
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002845:Chromatography; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005285:Fermentation; D005590:Fractional Precipitation; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014462:Ultrafiltration; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA