New vaccines and therapeutic antibodies from yeast

This year has seen another leap in the power of yeast to meet major pharmaceutical needs. One was the topic of the closing address by Prof Ian Frazer at the ASM's Annual Scientific Meeting at the Gold Coast. That address discussed the major worldwide problem of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, especially in young women. More importantly, he described the cure - prevention by vaccination with the major capsid protein (L1) of HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. The capsid protein forms virus-like particles (VLPs) when produced in cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Such products effectively immunise recipients, protecting them from HPV infection and associated cancers of the cervix. In many respects, it is like the yeast-derived Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine, which is also derived from a surface antigen that forms VLPs in yeast.