Stabilisation of viral particles

1. A method for preserving live viral particles during freeze-drying, the method comprising:

(a) preparing an aqueous solution, which is optionally buffered, the solution comprising:

(i) live viral particles selected from Adenoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, Poxviridae, Calciviridae, Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, Reoviridae, Retroviridae, and Toqaviridae, and

(ii) as the sole excipients one or more sugars at a total sugar concentration of 0.1 M to 3M, 0.1 to 1.5M of N,N-dimethylglycine or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof, and 0.1 to 1.5M of methylsulfonylmethane;

and

(b) freeze-drying the solution prepared in step (a) to form a composition incorporating said live viral particles.

2. The method according to claim 1 in which the sugar concentration of the aqueous solution is 0.2M to 2M.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein aqueous solution comprises sucrose and one or more other sugar(s), and the ratio of the concentration of sucrose relative to the other sugar(s) is from 1:1 to 20:1 and/or the other sugar is raffinose.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein one sugar is present which is mannitol.

5. A method of preparing a vaccine which incorporates live viral particles that are preserved during freeze-drying, which method comprises:

(a) preparing an aqueous solution, which is optionally buffered, the solution comprising:

(i) live viral particles selected from Adenoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, Poxviridae, Calciviridae, Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, Reoviridae, Retroviridae, and Togaviridae, and

(ii) as the sole excipients one or more sugars at a total sugar concentration of 0.1 M to 3M, 0.1 to 1.5M of N,N-dimethylglycine or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof, and 0.1 to 1.5M of methylsulfonylmethane;

and

(b) optionally adding an adjuvant, buffer, antibiotic and/or additive to the aqueous solution of (a); and

(c) freeze-drying the solution prepared in step (a) or (b) to form a solid composition incorporating said live viral particles.

6. A method for preserving live viral particles during freeze-drying, the method comprising:

(a) preparing an aqueous solution which consists of:

(i) live viral particles selected from Adenoviridae, Orthornyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, Poxviridae, Calciviridae, Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, Reoviridae, Retroviridae, and Togaviridae,

(ii) one or more sugars at a total sugar concentration of 0.1M to 3M,

(iii) 0.1 to 1.5M of N,N-dimethylglycine or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof,

(iv) 0.1 to 1.5M of methylsulfonylmethane;

(iv) optionally one or more buffers;

and

(b) freeze-drying the solution prepared in step (a) to form a composition incorporating said live viral particles.

7. A method of preparing a vaccine which incorporates live viral particles that are preserved during freeze-drying, which method comprises:

(a) preparing an aqueous solution, which is optionally buffered, and consists of (i) live viral particles selected from Adenoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, Poxviridae, Calciviridae, Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillornaviridae, Reoviridae, Retroviridae, and Toqaviridae, (ii) one or more sugars at a total sugar concentration of 0.1M to 3M, (iii) 0.1 to 1.5M of N,N-dimethylglycine or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof, and (iv) 0.1 to 1.5M of methylsulfonylmethane;

and

(b) optionally adding an adjuvant, buffer, antibiotic and/or additive to the aqueous solution of (a); and

(c) freeze-drying the solution prepared in step (a) or (b) to form a composition or solid composition incorporating said live viral particles.

8. The method according to claim 1 in which two sugars are present which are sucrose and raffinose.

9. The method according to claim 8 in which the ratio of the concentration of sucrose relative to raffinose is from 1:1 to 20:1.

10. The method according to claim 1 in which the viral particles are composed of a live virus which is a whole virus or live-attenuated virus.

11. The method according to claim 1 in which the aqueous solution comprises viral particles selected from Adenoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornoviridae and Poxviridae.

12. The method according to claim 11 in which the aqueous solution comprises viral particles selected from an adenovirus, vaccinia virus, influenza virus and measles virus.

13. The method according to claim 1 in which the aqueous solution comprises viral particles from Adenoviridae.