Subunit Vaccines: A Safer and More Targeted Approach to Pathogen Protection

How are subunit vaccines made?

A piece of a virus surface protein is produced using recombinant technology.

Subunit vaccines are made by isolating and creating a vaccine from a specific part of a pathogen (such as a virus or bacteria) rather than using the entire pathogen itself. This part of the pathogen is typically a protein or sugar molecule, called an antigen, that is recognized by the immune system.

The process of creating subunit vaccines typically involves the following steps:

1. Isolation of the antigen: The specific antigen that triggers an immune response to the pathogen is identified and isolated.

2. Production of the antigen: The antigen is produced in large quantities. This can be done through genetic engineering, where the DNA that codes for the antigen is inserted into bacteria or yeast cells, which then produce the antigen. Alternatively, the antigen can be purified from the pathogen itself.

3. Formulation of the vaccine: The antigen is formulated in a way that can be administered to humans or animals as a vaccine. This may involve adding adjuvants, which are substances that help stimulate a stronger immune response, or combining multiple antigens to create a multivalent vaccine.

4. Testing and approval: The vaccine is tested in pre-clinical animal studies and then in clinical trials with human subjects to determine its efficacy and safety. Regulatory approval is required before the vaccine can be released for use in the general public.

Overall, subunit vaccines offer several advantages over traditional vaccines that use whole pathogens. They are generally safer, as they do not contain live or inactivated pathogens, and they can be more easily tailored to target specific pathogens or strains of a pathogen.

More Answers: