Authors: Srivastava, Indresh K.; Singh, Manmohan

Source: International Journal of Pharmaceutical Medicine, Volume 19, Number 1, 2005 , pp. 15-28(14)

Publisher: Adis International

Abstract:

Compared with conventional approaches, DNA vaccine technology is a relatively new methodology for producing effective vaccines and has the major advantage of being simple and not requiring any special techniques for the purification and characterisation of recombinant proteins in the correct structure and conformation. The beauty of this approach lies in the ability of DNA vaccines to induce both cellular and humoral responses, thereby having special applications for making improved prophylactic vaccines against diseases for which traditional approaches have failed. Furthermore, the technology also provides an opportunity for developing therapeutic vaccines to treat chronic diseases such as HIV infection and viral hepatitis. These types of vaccines utilise advances in the fields of immunology and molecular biology to tailor more specifically the types of immune responses needed (cellular and/or humoral) against selected targets. In addition, DNA vaccines are potentially safer because, by delivering only the gene(s) encoding the particular immunogen(s) against which a protective or therapeutic immune response is desired, one can avoid the limitations and risks of certain other approaches such as live attenuated pathogens. So far, the efficacy of DNA vaccines has been low to modest in clinical trials, therefore significant efforts have been made to increase the potency of DNA vaccines by increasing the expression levels of the gene of interest, developing novel formulations and delivery technologies, and utilising biological adjuvants. Second-generation DNA vaccines are under development.

This review will focus on the status of DNA vaccines against disease and the progress made in increasing the potency and efficacy of DNA vaccines.

Keywords: Allergy, treatment; Autoimmune disorders, treatment; Cancer, treatment; Infections, treatment; Vaccine vectors; Vaccines, therapeutic use

Document Type: Review article

Affiliations: 1: Vaccines Research, Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, California, USA

Publication date: 2005-01-01

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