DNA Technology and Vaccines

Abstract

AbstractIt has been 20 years since the concepts that are now embraced in the term recombinant DNA technology were first described. The technology has been used to design new vaccines, and one product — that for hepatitis B — has been in widespread use for almost a decade. Several other engineered vaccines have shown considerable promise in laboratory trials. Nevertheless, the potential of the approach is still to be realized. This article describes the principles that are involved in the design of these new vaccines, focusing on those for hepatitis B and rabies.