title: Cell culture (Vero) derived whole virus (H5N1) vaccine based on wild-type virus strain induces cross-protective immune responses.
abstract: The rapid spread and the transmission to humans of avian influenza virus (H5N1) have induced world-wide fears of a new pandemic and raised concerns over the ability of standard influenza vaccine production methods to rapidly supply sufficient amounts of an effective vaccine. We report here on a robust and flexible strategy which uses wild-type virus grown in a continuous cell culture (Vero) system to produce an inactivated whole virus vaccine. Candidate vaccines based on clade 1 and clade 2 influenza H5N1 strains were developed and demonstrated to be highly immunogenic in animal models. The vaccines induce cross-neutralising antibodies, highly cross-reactive T-cell responses and are protective in a mouse challenge model not only against the homologous virus but also against other H5N1 strains, including those from another clade. These data indicate that cell culture-grown whole virus vaccines, based on the wild-type virus, allow the rapid high yield production of a candidate pandemic vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Baxter AG, Biomedical Research Center, Uferstrasse 15, A-2304 Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Otfried
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kistner
authors.forename: M Keith
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spruth
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wodal
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brühl
authors.forename: Marijan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerencer
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Savidis-Dacho
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Livey
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mayerhofer
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tauer
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grillberger
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mundt
authors.forename: Falko G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Falkner
authors.forename: P Noel
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000276:immunology*; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated