Towards Next Generation of Live Attenuated Viral Vaccines Muley Ravindra1,2, Dhere Rajeev2 1Department of Health & Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India 2Viral Vaccine Production Department, Serum Institute of India Private Limited, Pune, India Online published on 29 December, 2017. Abstract This mini-review aims to focus on the changing trend in the industry towards the type of cell substrates being used for viral vaccine production. Most of the commercial live attenuated viral vaccines were developed in the mid twentieth century, when primary cultures were traditionally being used for routine production of vaccines. Vaccine strain development process then essentially involved multiple passages on various primary cultures derived from different tissues. However, today in the twenty first century, the trend has seen a complete reversal. Established cell lines are being preferred over the primary cultures. Over the years, vaccine industry has learned the limitations of primary cultures as cell substrate. The industry and regulatory agencies have also understood the unique benefits offered by the established cell lines as substrates for vaccine production. Measles and Rubella vaccines are being produced on the diploid MRC-5 cell strain. Production technologies for Rotavirus and Dengue virus vaccine are being established on Vero cells, an already approved cell line by regulatory agencies. Rabies vaccine production has seen a journey from usage of sheep brain, through human diploid cells to continuous cell lines as cell substrates. Majority of commercially produced mumps vaccines are still dependant on primary culture of chicken embryo cells, derived from specific pathogen free eggs. Recently, mumps RS-12 strain has been reported to be established on human diploid MRC-5 cells. Other mumps vaccine strains such as Leningrad-Zagreb, also needs to be explored on the diploid or continuous cell lines to derive the benefits. In conclusion, additional research efforts are needed towards adapting the vaccine viruses on established cell lines to produce next generation of live attenuated viral vaccines, which are anticipated to be at least equivalent in characteristics but more cost-effective, thus beneficial to the society. Top Keywords Continuous cell lines, Diploid cell lines, Next generation viral vaccines, Primary Cultures. Top |