The present invention relates to an adenoviral vector capable of encoding a virus-like particle (VLP), said VLP displaying an inactive immune-suppressive domain (ISD). The vaccine of the invention shows an improved immune response from either of both of the response pathways initiated by CD4 T cells or CD8 T cells.

Provided herein are compositions, systems, and methods for delivering cargo to a target cell. The compositions, systems, and methods comprise one or more polynucleotides encoding one or more LTR retroelement polypeptides for forming a delivery vesicle and one or more capture moieties for packaging a cargo within the delivery vesicle. The one or more LTR retroelement polypeptides for forming a delivery vesicle may comprise two or more of an LTR retroelement gag protein, a retroelement envelope protein, an LTR retroelement reverse transcriptase, or a combination thereof. The LTR retroelement polypeptide alone, the LTR retroelement envelope protein alone, or both the LTR retroelement-derived polypeptide and LTR retroelement envelope protein may be endogenous.

Disclosed herein are virus-like particle (VLP)-based bivalent vaccine compositions. The compositions may comprise a spherical retroviral Group-specific Antigen (Gag) protein core and at least two Ebola glycoproteins. The at least two Ebola glycoproteins may be located at the exterior surface of the spherical Gag protein core, such that the VLP-based vaccine presents at least two Ebola glycoprotein antigens. In one aspect, the at least two Ebola glycoproteins are a Zaire (EBOV) glycoprotein, and a Sudan (SUDV) glycoprotein.

A vaccine for use in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of a disease

The present invention relates to an adenoviral vector capable of encoding a virus-like particle (VLP), said VLP displaying an inactive immune-suppressive domain (ISD). The vaccine of the invention shows an improved immune response from either of both of the response pathways initiated by CD4 T cells or CD8 T cells.

Human-derived virus-like particles (heVLPs), comprising a membrane comprising a phospholipid bilayer with one or more HERV-derived envelope proteins on the external side; one or more HERV-derived GAG proteins in the heVLP core, and a cargo molecule, e.g., a biomolecule and/or chemical cargo molecule, disposed in the core of the heVLP on the inside of the membrane, wherein the heVLP does not comprise a gag protein, except for gag proteins that are encoded in the human genome or gag proteins that are encoded by a consensus sequence that is derived from gag proteins found in the human genome, and methods of use thereof for delivery of the cargo molecule to cells.

Human-derived virus-like particles (heVLPs), comprising a membrane comprising a phospholipid bilayer with one or more HERV-derived envelope proteins on the external side; one or more HERV-derived GAG proteins in the heVLP core, and a cargo molecule, e.g., a biomolecule and/or chemical cargo molecule, disposed in the core of the heVLP on the inside of the membrane, wherein the heVLP does not comprise a gag protein, except for gag proteins that are encoded in the human genome or gag proteins that are encoded by a consensus sequence that is derived from gag proteins found in the human genome, and methods of use thereof for delivery of the cargo molecule to cells.

The present invention relates to a virus-derived particle comprising one or more Cas protein(s), as well as to kits and methods using the same for altering a target nucleic acid.

The present invention relates to an adenoviral vector capable of encoding a virus-like particle (VLP), said VLP displaying an inactive immune-suppressive domain (ISD). The vaccine of the invention shows an improved immune response from either of both of the response pathways initiated by CD4 T cells or CD8 T cells.

Human-derived virus-like particles (heVLPs), comprising a membrane comprising a phospholipid bilayer with one or more HERV-derived envelope proteins on the external side; one or more HERV-derived GAG proteins in the heVLP core, and a cargo molecule, e.g., a biomolecule and/or chemical cargo molecule, disposed in the core of the heVLP on the inside of the membrane, wherein the heVLP does not comprise a gag protein, except for gag proteins that are encoded in the human genome or gag proteins that are encoded by a consensus sequence that is derived from gag proteins found in the human genome, and methods of use thereof for delivery of the cargo molecule to cells.

Type-C endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) embedded in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were altered to modify the release of retroviral and/or retroviral-like particles in the culture supernatant. Although evidence for the infectivity of these particles is missing, their presence has raised safety concerns. 173 type-C ERV sequences that clustered into functionally conserved groups were identified. Transcripts from one type-C ERV group were identified to be full-length with intact open reading frames, and to have corresponding viral RNA genomes that were loaded into retroviral-like particles. Also, sequence analysis of the genomic RNA from viral particles indicated that they may result from few expressed ERV sequences. Disclosed herein is the disruption/alteration of the gag gene of the expressed ERV group using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. Comparison of CRISPR-derived mutations at the DNA and mRNA level led to the identification of a single ERV locus responsible for the release of viral RNA-loaded particles from CHO cells. Clones bearing a Gag loss-of-function mutation in this particular ERV locus showed a reduction of viral RNA-containing particles in the cell supernatant by over 250-fold. Notably, ERV mutagenesis did not compromise cell growth, cell size or recombinant protein production. Provided herein is a new strategy and cells, in particular engineered CHO cells, to mitigate potential contaminations from CHO endogenous retroviruses during biopharmaceutical manufacturing.