The rubella strain RA27/3 was generated by Wistar’s researchers in the 1960s through low-temperature passaging in the human diploid fibroblast cell line WI-38 in tissue culture. The virus does not contain duck, chicken or egg protein. This attenuated strain has been successfully used worldwide to generate a rubella vaccine, and can be administered as a standalone product or in combination with other vaccines such as measles, mumps and/or varicella. The live attenuated virus vaccine is safe, efficacious (95%) and produces long-lived immunity against the disease.
Rubella infection, also known as German measles, during pregnancy was once greatly feared as a cause of devastating birth defects. Wistar’s RA27/3 strain has lead the charge in eradication of rubella in the United States, and in 2005 the World Health Organization launched a global campaign to promote the vaccine, saving an estimated 7.5 million lives.
Worldwide non-exclusive license rights are available for the development, manufacture, distribution and sale of the Wistar RA27/3 rubella vaccine seed stock.