Recombinant hepatitis b surface antigen
AssigneeMerck & Co., Inc.
InventorsQINJIAN ZHAO, ROBERT SITRIN, DICKY G. ABRAHAM, DAVID P. GERVAIS, JUAN GIMENEZ
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Abstract
The present invention provides an improved rHBsAg that exhibits a higher antigenicity and immunogenicity than that previously known in the art. A method of making the improved rHBsAg is also provided. The improved HBsAg is used to provide vaccines with lower amounts of active ingredient, vaccines with higher immunogenicity and combination vaccines which produce and protective immunization against infection by hepatitis B virus and other infectious agents.
Claims20
A recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (rHBsAg) having an in vitro relative potency of at least 2.5.
A method of making recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (rHBsAg) comprising:
- a) providing sterile filtered rHBsAg purified from a cell culture,
- b) adding a redox buffer to the rHBsAg,
- c) adjusting the temperature to from about 34° C. to about 38° C.,
- d) incubating the rHBsAg at about 34° C. to about 38° C. for about 40 to about 240 hours.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.