Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) represent one of the most exciting emerging vaccine technologies for generating effective and long-lasting protection. VLPs consist of protein shells studded with short strands of the proteins specific to whatever disease the vaccine is intended to control. VLPs are made to look like a virus, allowing them to be recognized readily by the body's immune system, however, they lack the core genetic material, making them non-infectious and unable to replicate. Unlike current influenza vaccines that are manufactured with an inactivated virus, VLP-based vaccines do no require an actual sample of the virus, they simply require the genetic sequence of the virus or bacteria.

Another important advantage of VLPs is that they more effectively activate key aspects of the immune response to achieve potent immune stimulation and to provide immunological memory. VLP-based vaccines have also shown to provide protection against different strains of a virus other than those for which the vaccine was formulated. With influenza viruses mutating rapidly, the previous years vaccines produced in eggs often cannot be used. Medicago's VLP technology enables the creation of a vaccine that exactly matches the specific pandemic strain in circulation and offers strong cross-protection against other subtypes of influenza.

Infectious influenza virus with surface antigens, lipid membrane, internal proteins and genetic material

Medicago's VLP is a non-infectious and a more efficient way of presenting antigens to the immune system