The refrigerator-stable varicella vaccine formulation contains stabilizers such as sucrose, hydrolyzed porcine gelatin, phosphate, glutamate, and urea, as well as a live attenuated varicella virus (Oka/Merck) and residual components of MRC-5 cells. The inherent lability of the live varicella virus (Oka/Merck) presents a formulation challenge in terms of stabilizing and preserving vaccine viability during manufacturing, storage and administration. Varicella virus vaccine live is a lyophilized preparation of live, attenuated VZV (Oka/Merck). The recombinant human gelatin demonstrated similar ability to stabilize the live attenuated VZV (Oka/Merck) in an experimental, refrigerator-stable varicella vaccine when compared to the vaccine preparation formulated with hydrolyzed porcine gelatin used in currently marketed varicella vaccine. No statistically significant difference in potency stability was observed between the vaccine formulations stored at any of the temperatures tested. Vaccine viral potency changes were comparable in stabilized VZV (Oka/Merck) formulations containing either hydrolyzed porcine gelatin or recombinant human gelatin. The stabilizing effect of recombinant human gelatin on VZV (Oka/Merck) potency change during vaccine lyophilization was similar to the experimental vaccine containing porcine-derived gelatin. Moreover, the viral stability in the experimental VZV (Oka/Merck) vaccines was evaluated under accelerated and real-time conditions in a comparative study. VZV (Oka/Merck) was harvested in two formulations prepared with either a hydrolyzed porcine gelatin or a recombinant human gelatin. In this comparative study, a recombinant human gelatin fragment (8.5 kD) was assessed as a potential replacement for hydrolyzed porcine gelatin in an experimental live, attenuated VZV (Oka/Merck) vaccine.

One stabilizing ingredient used in a varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine is hydrolyzed porcine gelatin which represents the major protein/peptide-based excipient in the vaccine formulation. The labile nature of live, attenuated varicella-zoster virus (Oka/Merck) requires robust stabilization during virus bulk preparation and vaccine manufacturing in order to preserve potency through storage and administration.

Sucrose hydrolyzed gelatin