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Virus-Like Particle [VLP] Platform

Plant cells have a sophisticated eukaryotic protein production machinery that readily translates and assembles protein complexes.

Many naturally occurring plant viruses cause the production of VLPs during infection, which makes plant cells a versatile host for the production of recombinant VLPs.

The iBio VLP platform is based on the production of virus-like particles composed of viral core proteins that self-assemble into spherical particles. This type of VLP has one protein component, making the platform:

  • Simple by design
  • Amenable to production as recombinant protein
  • Highly flexible for the display of antigenic peptides
  • Rapidly scalable in combination with the FastPharming® System

Advantages of iBio’s VLP Approach

Ibio VLP Platform vs. Enveloped VLPs

  • iBio’s self-assembling VLPs produce consistently high yields
  • Non-enveloped iBio VLPs are comprised of only a single protein, providing potentially improved structural consistency compared with enveloped VLPs
  • iBio’s VLPs provide a lower impurity risk compared to enveloped VLPs which may bind host cell proteins

iBio's FastPharming VLP Production Capacity

  • Consistent high-quality nanoparticle production
  • Superior yield of properly assembled particles compared with other expression systems
  • Scalable production via FastPharming

Advantages of VLPs

VLP-based vaccines interact with immune cells differently than soluble antigens. The repetitive peptide presentation on the surface of VLPs triggers both humoral and cellular responses. More importantly, VLP immunogens generate memory cells and long-lasting plasma cells, potentially providing years of protection without compromising safety.1,2

  • Maintain their viral structural characteristics (size and geometry) but are not infectious, as no genetic material is present
  • Can be expressed as recombinant proteins
  • Are produced using conventional methods
  • Are well understood and accepted by regulatory agencies
  • Promote protective neutralizing antibodies
  • Promote B cell memory which provides long-lasting protection
References:
  1. Schmidt, M.E. and S.M. Varga. (2018). “The CD8 T Cell Response to Respiratory Virus Infections. Front Immunol. 9: 678
  2. Brown M. et al. (2012) Virus-like particles induce robust human T-helper cell responses. J. Immunol. 42(2)330–340
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