Jess and Tommy publish their work on a novel cell-free biomanufacturing approach for low-cost, point-of-care production of conjugate vaccines
In a new study published in the February 5 issue of Science Advances, we describe a first-in-kind method for cell-free biomanufacturing of conjugate vaccines called iVAX (in vitro conjugate vaccine expression). The iVAX platform provides a rapid means to develop and distribute conjugate vaccines against bacterial pathogens. Expression of pathogen-specific polysaccharide antigens (e.g., CPS and O-PS) and a bacterial oligosaccharyltransferase enzyme in nonpathogenic E. coliwith detoxified lipid A yields low-endotoxin lysates containing all of the machinery required for synthesis of conjugate vaccines. Reactions catalyzed by iVAX lysates can be used to produce conjugates containing licensed carrier proteins and can be freeze-dried without loss of activity for refrigeration-free transportation and storage. Freeze-dried reactions can be activated at the point of care via simple rehydration and used to reproducibly synthesize immunologically active conjugate vaccines in ~1 hour. The work was featured on the cover:
To learn more, read the story in the Cornell Chronicle or Northwestern Now: