The baculovirus-insect cell expression system has the ability to express a variety of recombinant proteins at high levels and provide significant eukaryotic protein processing capabilities, including phosphorylation, glycosylation, myristoylation and palmitoylation. Similar to mammalian cells, proteins expressed are mostly soluble, accurately folded, and biologically active. However, it has slower growth rate and requires higher cost of growth medium than bacteria and yeast, and confers toxicological risks. A notable feature is the existence of elements of control that allow for the expression of secreted and membrane-bound proteins in Baculovirus-insect cells.
Licensed recombinant subunit vaccines that utilises baculovirus-insect cells include Cervarix (papillomavirus C-terminal truncated major capsid protein L1 types 16 and 18) and Flublok Quadrivalent (hemagglutinin (HA) proteins from four strains of influenza viruses).