Amoebas work much faster than chickens
Speed in the production of vaccines is often the decisive factor: the German Federal Ministry of Health recommends that individuals should get vaccination against influenza, commonly referred to as flu, every year between the months of September and November. This is particularly relevant in children and the elderly. However, what happens if shortages occur in conjunction with the manufacturing and supply of vaccine, as was the case last year in Bavaria and Northern Germany? The time window for production is extremely narrow. Because of constant mutation, the WHO determines the relevant virus types each February for the upcoming flu season. Through conventional production in Germany, the standard vaccine is produced in chicken embryos in a very tedious process. The chicken embryos get infected with the live virus which multiplies in their bodies. This process alone takes more than 2 months. Recombinant vaccine Ciflu, meaning produced through biotechnology, could offer relief in the near term. 13
Current vaccine production in chicken eggs
“Our process is a lot more efficient and cleaner” says Dr. Marcus Hartmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Cilian AG. “In comparison with the current standard vaccine we could produce large quantities almost twice as fast. This applies for seasonal flu but also for a pandemic which tend to spread in the general population very quickly.”
Another advantage: More safety
The outer membrane of the flu virus consists in most part of a protein, called hemagglutinin. Hartmann and
(Sources: Bild links: CDC / Laura R. Zambuto. Bild rechts: www.cilian.de)