plant-derived quadrivalent influenza virus-like particle vaccine

The plant-derived quadrivalent influenza virus-like particle vaccine (specifically Medicago's MT-2271) is a seasonal influenza vaccine produced using a proprietary plant-based expression system known as Proficia. The vaccine consists of recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) that mimic the structure of the influenza virus but lack genetic material, rendering them non-infectious. These VLPs display hemagglutinin (HA) proteins from four seasonal influenza strains (two Influenza A and two Influenza B). The production process involves transient expression in *Nicotiana benthamiana* plants, which allows for rapid manufacturing and avoids the use of eggs or mammalian cell cultures. The vaccine was developed by Medicago Inc. (a joint venture between Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma and Philip Morris) and received approval from Health Canada in February 2020 for use in adults aged 18-64. However, following the closure of Medicago by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma in early 2023, the product is no longer being marketed.

Brand names

Vifluiz

Other names

plant-derived quadrivalent influenza virus-like particle vaccineQVLPMedicago quadrivalent influenza vaccineplant-based Seasonal Quadrivalent VLP Influenza Vaccine