Preparation of inactivated viral vaccines
AssigneeDiamond Scientific Co.
InventorsGary P. Wiesehahn, Richard P. Creagan, David R. Stevens, Richard Giles
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Abstract
Vaccines employing inactivated viruses having improved retention of antigenic characteristics are prepared by psoralen-inactivation of the live virus in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. By excluding oxygen and other oxidizing species from the inactivation medium, degradation of the antigen characteristics resulting from irradiation with ultraviolet light is largely prevented. The resulting inactivated viruses are employed in vaccine preparations for the inoculation of susceptible hosts to inhibit viral infection.
Claims12
A viral vaccine produced by exposing a live virus to a preselected intensity of long wavelength ultraviolet radiation and a preselected concentration of an inactivating furocoumarin for a time period sufficiently long to render the virus non-infectious but not long enough to degrade its antigen characteristics, wherein said exposure is performed in the substantial absence of oxygen and other oxidizing species.
A viral vaccine comprising in combination:
- an inactivated live virus and a physiologically acceptable vaccine carrier;
- said virus being further characterized as inactivated by exposure to long wavelength ultraviolet radiation and an amount of a furocoumarin sufficient to inactivate the virus, which together render the virus non-infectious without destroying its antigen characteristics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.