Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
In an influenza vaccine comprising influenza virus particles in an immunologically effective and physiologically tolerated form and amount, the improvement wherein said influenza vaccine consists essentially of influenza virus particles in the form of intimately aggregated virus particles interlocked as strong, coherent clusters distinguishable from spontaneous loose viral aggregations by: a. not being dispersable to the monomeric virus state without causing disruption of the individual virus particles, such that the individual virus particles in said clusters can be disrupted to release nucleic acids therefrom while essentially retaining the coherent cluster state; b. said clusters exhibiting a reduced hemaglutinin content in comparison with the same amount of monomeric virus particles; and c. said clusters being capable of preparation from an aqueous dispersion of monomeric influenza virus particles having a pH of 6-9 and containing more than 600 HA units of virus particles per ml., only HA units ascribable to actual influenza virus particles being taken into account, by i. precipitating said virus from said aqueous dispersion at a temperature not exceeding 35° C. by adding 3-4% by weight polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of about 6,000-7,000 thereto; ii. separating an insolubilized fraction consisting essentially of said strong, coherent influenza virus clusters by phase separation from a non-insolubilized fraction; and iii. preparing said vaccine from said clusters.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
In an influenza vaccine comprising influenza virus particles in an immunologically effective and physiologically tolerated form and amount, the improvement wherein said influenza vaccine consists essentially of influenza virus particles in the form of intimately aggregated virus particles interlocked as strong, coherent clusters distinguishable from spontaneous loose viral aggregations by: a. not being dispersable to the monomeric virus state without causing disruption of the individual virus particles, such that the individual virus particles in said clusters can be disrupted to release nucleic acids therefrom while essentially retaining the coherent cluster state; b. said clusters exhibiting a reduced hemaglutinin content in comparison with the same amount of monomeric virus particles; and c. said clusters being capable of preparation from an aqueous dispersion of monomeric influenza virus particles having a pH of 6-9 and containing more than 600 HA units of virus particles per ml., only HA units ascribable to actual influenza virus particles being taken into account, by i. precipitating said virus from said aqueous dispersion at a temperature not exceeding 35° C. by adding 3-4% by weight polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of about 6,000-7,000 thereto; ii. separating an insolubilized fraction consisting essentially of said strong, coherent influenza virus clusters by phase separation from a non-insolubilized fraction; and iii. preparing said vaccine from said clusters.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An influenza vaccine according to claim 1, further characterized by being free of extraneous protein detectable either by electron microscope examination or by ultracentrifugation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
An influenza vaccine according to claim 2, wherein the influenza virus particles are dead.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An influenza vaccine according to claim 1, wherein the aggregated influenza virus particles are partially disrupted by the release of nucleic acids therefrom in such a manner that the coherent cluster state is substantially preserved.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
182 words
Influenza virus particles in the form of intimately aggregated virus particles interlocked as strong, coherent clusters distinguishable from spontaneous loose viral aggregations by: a. not being dispersable to the monomeric virus state without causing disruption of the individual virus particles, such that the individual virus particles in said clusters can be disrupted to release nucleic acids therefrom while essentially retaining the coherent cluster state; b. said clusters exhibiting a reduced hemaglutinin content in comparison with the same amount of monomeric virus particles; and c. said clusters being capable of preparation from an aqueous dispersion of monomeric influenza virus particles having a pH of 6-9 and contaiing more than 600 HA units of virus particles per ml., only HA units ascribable to actual influenza virus particles being taken into account, by i. precipitating said virus from said aqueous dispersion at a temperature not exceeding 35° C. by adding 3-4% by weight polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of about 6,000-7,000 thereto; and ii. separating an insolubilized fraction consisting essentially of said strong, coherent influenza virus clusters by phase separation from a non-insolubilized fraction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
182 words
Influenza virus particles in the form of intimately aggregated virus particles interlocked as strong, coherent clusters distinguishable from spontaneous loose viral aggregations by: a. not being dispersable to the monomeric virus state without causing disruption of the individual virus particles, such that the individual virus particles in said clusters can be disrupted to release nucleic acids therefrom while essentially retaining the coherent cluster state; b. said clusters exhibiting a reduced hemaglutinin content in comparison with the same amount of monomeric virus particles; and c. said clusters being capable of preparation from an aqueous dispersion of monomeric influenza virus particles having a pH of 6-9 and contaiing more than 600 HA units of virus particles per ml., only HA units ascribable to actual influenza virus particles being taken into account, by i. precipitating said virus from said aqueous dispersion at a temperature not exceeding 35° C. by adding 3-4% by weight polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of about 6,000-7,000 thereto; and ii. separating an insolubilized fraction consisting essentially of said strong, coherent influenza virus clusters by phase separation from a non-insolubilized fraction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
Influenza virus particles according to claim 5, wherein the aggregated influenza virus particles are partially disrupted by the release of nucleic acids therefrom in such a manner that the aggregated cluster state is substantially preserved.