Development and production aspects of a recombinant yeast-derived hepatitis B vaccine.

Any attempt to control or eradicate hepatitis B on a global scale requires the availability of large quantities of effective, safe and affordable hepatitis B vaccine. The drawbacks of the first generation of plasma-derived vaccines--poor acceptance, relatively high cost, limited availability--have led to the search for alternative means of producing hepatitis B vaccines. This article reviews the development and production of a yeast-derived vaccine based on recombinant DNA technology and discusses potency, stability and potential availability for use in the implementation of vaccination programmes.