Platforms for Production of Protein-Based Vaccines: From Classical to Next-Generation Strategies

Area of Science:

• Vaccinology
• Molecular Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Vaccination is a cornerstone of infectious disease control, saving millions of lives globally.
• Traditional live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines face challenges like pathogen reversion and weaker immune responses.
• Genetic engineering has driven innovation in vaccine design, moving beyond traditional methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in vaccine development, focusing on recombinant subunit vaccines.
• To explore novel antigen display systems and production platforms for enhanced vaccine efficacy.
• To highlight the need for cost-effective and rapid vaccine production systems.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature on vaccine technologies.
• Analysis of genetic engineering applications in vaccine design.
• Evaluation of various expression systems (e.g., microbial, insect, plant) for recombinant vaccine production.

Main Results:

• Recombinant subunit vaccines, enhanced by systems like virus-like particles (VLPs) and nanotechnology, show improved efficacy.
• Expression platforms have evolved from *Escherichia coli* and *Saccharomyces cerevisiae* to insect, mammalian, and plant-based systems.
• Engineered traditional systems and novel platforms offer potential for low-cost, faster vaccine manufacturing.

Conclusions:

• Modern vaccine strategies, including recombinant subunit vaccines, offer significant advantages over traditional approaches.
• Emerging expression platforms provide promising alternatives for efficient and economical vaccine production.
• Continued innovation in vaccine technology is crucial for addressing unmet medical needs and preparing for future pandemics.