pVAX1 is specifically designed for use in the development of DNA vaccines. pVAX1 has the following features:

• Eukaryotic DNA sequences limited to those required for expression in order to minimize the possibility of chromosomal integration
• Kanamycin resistance gene for selection in E. colibecause ampicillin has been reported to cause an allergic response in some individuals
• Expression levels of recombinant proteins from pVAX1 comparable to those achieved with its parent vector, pcDNA™3.1

The small size of pVAX1 and the variety of unique cloning sites simplify subcloning of even very large DNA fragments.