CRISPR-edited chicken cells boost virus yields for poultry vaccines

UK – Scientists at the UK’s Pirbright Institute have developed gene-edited chicken cells that significantly increase the yield of viruses used in poultry vaccines, offering a potentially transformative solution for the US$420 billion global poultry industry. 

The discovery, published in the journal Vaccine, 2025, may pave the way for more efficient, ethical and scalable vaccine manufacturing.

The research team used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to knock out a group of genes known as interferon-inducible transmembrane proteins (IFITMs), which normally act as cellular defences that block viral entry. 

By deleting these innate barriers, the modified cells, dubbed DF1-IFITM-KO, demonstrated dramatically higher production of both influenza A virus and Newcastle disease virus (NDV), the two primary viruses targeted in poultry vaccination.

“Our work provides proof of concept that removing innate antiviral barriers in chicken cells can improve viral replication, a key condition for cost-effective, reliable and scalable vaccine production,” said Professor John Hammond, Director of Research at The Pirbright Institute.

Currently, most poultry vaccines are produced using embryonated chicken eggs (ECE), a system burdened by high costs, ethical concerns, and supply chain vulnerabilities. 

Immortalised chicken cell lines have long been proposed as an alternative but have struggled to yield sufficient virus volumes due to the activation of immune-related genes like IFITMs.

The new study reveals that eliminating these proteins accelerates viral infection and increases the presence of viral proteins on the cell surface, two critical factors in efficient vaccine production. 

Reintroducing individual IFITM proteins into the edited cells restored their ability to block virus replication, confirming their role as gatekeepers against viral infection. IFITM3 was found to restrict influenza virus, while both IFITM1 and IFITM3 suppressed NDV.

Implications for global health and industry

The breakthrough has profound implications for both veterinary and human medicine, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. 

“This is currently under investigation in collaboration with our vaccine producer partners in low- and middle-income countries where these cells are being evaluated under industrial conditions,” the researchers said.

By supporting high virus yields in a controlled laboratory setting, the DF1-IFITM-KO cells provide a platform for vaccine production that could reduce waste, lower costs, and enhance biosecurity, especially in the face of emerging zoonotic disease threats.

The full study, “IFITM knockout DF1 cells produce higher influenza and Newcastle disease viral yields: a proof of concept for avian origin cell-based vaccine production,” was authored by Samy, A., Alber, A., Fife, M. & Hammond, J., and is available in Vaccine.

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