INFLUENZA VACCINE COMPRISING A HEMAGGLUTININ-NEURAMINIDASE (HANA) ANTIGEN AND A MURAMYLDIPEPTIDE (MDP) ADJUVANT

摘要

This invention relates to a novel influenza vaccine comprising a complex of HANA antigen and an MDP derivative. The novel vaccine is prepared by mixing an influenza HANA antigen and at least one MDP derivative in a suitable medium; solubilizing the resulting mixture with a surface active agent capable of being removed by dialysis, the solubilization being conducted in the presence or absence of cholesterol, lecithin and dicetyl phosphate or a mixture thereof; and then removing the surface active agent therefrom by dialysis to obtain an influenza vaccine comprising artificial vesicle-like particles of a complex of HANA antigen and MDP derivative, where the MDP derivative forms a membrane of the particle (corresponding to the lipid membrane of natural influenza virus particle) on the surface of which there exists the HANA antigen being bonded to the MDP derivative so as to form the complex. Thus, said artificial vesicle-like particle of the HANA antigen-MDP derivative complex has nearly the same particle size and shape as the natural influenza virus particle. The novel vaccine has an improved immunogenicity compared with the conventional vaccine.