Adapting Flublok/supemtek® recombinant protein expression systems to Sars-cov-2

Sanofi co-developed a SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein vaccine for the prophylaxis of COVID-19 disease based on recombinant protein antigens adjuvanted with AS03 from GSK. The recombinant protein used leverages the safe and effective platform used to produce Flublok/Supemtek® (Flublok), the first licensed recombinant seasonal influenza vaccine. The manufacturing process of Flublok utilizes a platform based on the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) for the expression of recombinant hemagglutinin (rHA) proteins in insect cells. Recombinant proteins in this system are expressed using a viral vector (baculovirus Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus) that is non-pathogenic to humans. Our cell line for protein expression is a non-transformed, non-tumorigenic continuous insect cell line expressSF+® (SF+) that is derived from Spodoptera frugiperda. Once expressed, recombinant proteins are purified, formulated and filled. A schematic of this process is shown in Figure 1. Please click Download on the upper right corner to see the full abstract