Conjugate Vaccine Production Technology

Polysaccharide–protein conjugate vaccines have proven to be effective in preventing diseases caused by encapsulated pathogens. The licensed conjugate vaccines have been prepared for the most part from polysaccharides that were previously licensed as vaccines. Because of the success of conjugates, they are supplanting their polysaccharide counterparts. Our understanding of the technology of conjugate design has evolved over the last 20 years; nevertheless, there remains only a limited repertoire of reactions used in the manufacture of conjugate vaccines. These conjugation reactions are described in this chapter. The potency of polysaccharide and polysaccharide–protein conjugate vaccines is associated with their physicochemical characteristics. The characterization of conjugate vaccines is discussed.