Virus Like Particle (VLP)

Definition: A virus-like particle is a biological construct designed to look like a virus, but which is not infectious. VLPs are self-assembled from the proteins that make up a virus' outer coat, and are often used as a component of vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine. Since they resemble the virus, they are often effective at getting a response from the immune system; however, they do not contain any viral DNA and therefore cannot cause an infection. Vaccines that contain VLPs are a relatively recent alternative to those that contain killed or inactivated viruses.