Development of a relative potency test using ELISA for human rabies vaccines

The NIH potency test for human rabies vaccines has disadvantages for use, especially in developing countries where rabies is endemic and prophylaxis needs ample, rapid, and reliable vaccine supplies. In China, 60–75 million doses of human rabies vaccines are administered each year. Vaccine quality control is of paramount importance, as is the release of potency-validated vaccines. We intended to design an alternative to the NIH in vivo method, and developed a relative potency test using an ELISA. Using Pearson's correlation analysis, we found a close relationship between the rabies vaccine glycoprotein content in vitro and the potency values in vivo. We suggest the relative potency test developed here as a simplified method for human rabies vaccine quality control in China and a possible alternative to the NIH method.