RESUMO
One of the most recent major advances in vaccinology, and currently the only licensed alternative to the traditional alum-based adjuvants, are immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes. The flexibility of this novel antigen delivery system enables the safe and effective delivery of modern vaccine developments, such as viral glycoproteins, bacterial toxoids, inactivated virus, recombinant proteins, synthetic peptides and DNA-plasmids or polynucleotides. These novel vaccine antigens are being incorporated into immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes in an attempt to develop a variety of new viral, bacterial and parasitic vaccines. In addition, immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes are showing future potential in the targeting of specific cells, such as tumor cells, and novel routes of vaccine administration.
Assuntos
Adjuvantes Imunológicos , Vacinas contra Influenza , Antígenos Virais/administração & dosagem , Antígenos Virais/imunologia , Humanos , Imunização/métodos , Vacinas contra Influenza/administração & dosagem , Vacinas contra Influenza/imunologia , Vacinas Virossomais/administração & dosagem , Vacinas Virossomais/imunologiaRESUMO
The desire for improved quality of life in both industrialised and under-developed nations has led to the quest for greater understanding and subsequent prevention and treatment of diseases. Here we discuss some of the latest of modern medicine's approaches to vaccination and disease treatment. Our main subject of discussion being the novel antigen delivery systems termed immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes (IRIVs) and their use as vaccines. Particular attention is paid to the currently licensed Epaxal and Inflexal V, good examples of the improvements being made in vaccinology. Alternative uses of virosomes such as peptide delivery, cytosolic drug delivery and gene delivery are also considered, highlighting the flexibility of the IRIV formulation and method of action. The paper concludes with consideration of alternative novel approaches to vaccinology including bacterial carriers for DNA vaccines, recombinant MV vaccines and polysaccharide-protein conjugates.
