Improving Vaccine Production Strategies
Most existing influenza vaccines are produced by growing the virus in eggs. This is a time-honored, but time-consuming process. Furthermore, the vaccine undergoes a process of adaptation to grow in eggs that may in itself lead to mutations that make the resulting vaccine less effective. In recognition of these limitations, the President signed the Executive Order on Modernizing Influenza Vaccines in the United States to Promote National Security and Public Health on September 19, 2019. Broadly, the Executive Order [13887] directs BARDA, CDC, NIH, and FDA to accelerate the adoption of improved influenza vaccine technologies. In alignment with the goals of the Executive Order, NIAID is conducting and supporting research to develop stateof-the-art vaccine platform technologies that could be used to develop universal influenza vaccines as well as to improve the speed and agility of the influenza vaccine manufacturing process. These platform technologies include DNA, messenger RNA (mRNA), virus-like particles, vector-based, and self-assembling nanoparticle vaccines. For example, NIAID-supported scientists are investigating an mRNA vaccine candidate that would allow for a more rapid and flexible response to both seasonal and pandemic influenza than do existing vaccine production strategies.
Sources:
- December 4, 2019. Anthony S Fauci. “The Role of the National Institutes of Health in Research Addressing Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza.” National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases.
https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/Testimony%20-%20Fauci%20%28NIH%29%2012.04.2019.pdf.
Government, PDF.
The mention is at the top of PDF page 6. - September 19, 2019. “Modernizing Influenza Vaccines in the United States to Promote National Security and Public Health.” Executive Order 13887. Executive Office of the President, Donald J. Trump.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/09/24/2019-20804/modernizing-influenza-vaccines-in-the-united-states-to-promote-national-security-and-public-health.
Government.