Virus inactivation by high intensity broad spectrum pulsed light.

The inactivation of a range of enveloped and non-enveloped viruses by treatment with high intensity broad spectrum pulsed light (PureBright) has been investigated. In phosphate buffered saline, a dose of 1.0 J/cm2 was sufficient to effectively inactivate, i.e. >4.8->7.2 log of all the viruses tested, i.e. Sindbis, HSV-1, vaccinia, polio-1, EMC, HAV, CPV, BPV and SV40. However, in the presence of protein, i.e. 5% v/v foetal-calf serum (0.2% w/v protein), virus inactivation was less effective. At a dose of 2.0 J/cm2, virus inactivation was 5.0->6.4 log, however, HSV-1 (3.8 log), BPV (2.4 log) and SV40 (2.9 log) were all relatively resistant. This virus inactivation procedure may have application for increasing the safety of therapeutic biological products.