MODIFIED VERO CELLS WITH SUPPRESSED INNATE IMMUNE RESPONSES AND ENHANCED VIRUS PRODUCTION

Dr. Chris Basler and colleagues have developed a stable cell line with enhanced virus replication and production efficiency. The Vero 76 cell line (ATCC No. CCL-1587) has been widely used for cell-based research and product development (1, 2, 4). Several characteristics of Vero 76 cells make them particularly suited for vaccine development and production, including their ability to support large-scale growth of many virus types, a lack of interferon response, and their subsequent susceptibility to viral infection (2, 3, 5). However, despite the absence of IFN genes, Vero 76 cells still express multiple innate immune response genes that ultimately attenuate virus growth (unpublished observation). This technology provides a modified Vero 76 cell line that circumvents this innate immune response, resulting in a cell line with 8-fold higher virus replication and enhanced production efficiency.

Current Development Status

• In vitro studies

Applications

• Production of viruses
• Disease diagnosis
• Research

Advantages

• Improving virus yield for culture-grown vaccines
• Reducing virus production costs and time
• Identifying antiviral response genes to reduce or eliminate residual innate antiviral responses

Publications

• Publication pending

Patent Status

• Technology to be provisionally filed

Contact

Alan Belicha, PhD
Business Development Manager
Mount Sinai Innovation Partners | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Phone: 646.605.7306