The present invention relates to a vaccine comprising a nucleic acid construct such as a DNA construct especially a nucleic acid construct comprising sequences encoding invariant chain operatively linked to antigenic protein or peptide encoding sequences. The vaccine stimulates an immune response, especially an immune response in an MHC-I dependent, but CD4.sup.+ T-cell independent manner.

A recombinant attenuated Mopeia virus (MOPV) comprising a recombinant genomic S segment that encodes a nucleoprotein having attenuated exonuclease activity, and optionally further encodes a non-MOPV arenavirus glycoprotein. Use of the recombinant attenuated MOPV to induce an immune response in a subject.

The invention relates to recombinant measles virus expressing Lassa virus polypeptides, and concerns in particular immunogenic LASV particles expressed by a measles virus and/or virus like particles (VLPs) that contain proteins of a Lassa virus. These particles are recombinant infectious particles able to replicate in a host after an administration. The invention provides means, in particular nucleic acid constructs, vectors, cells and rescue systems to produce these recombinant infectious particles. The invention also relates to the use of these recombinant infectious particles, in particular under the form of a composition, more particularly in a vaccine formulation, for the treatment or prevention of an infection by Lassa virus.

The present invention relates to the field of oncolytic viruses and in particular to a recombinant rhabdovirus, such as vesicular stomatitis virus encoding in its genome for a CCL21 protein. The invention is further directed to the use of the recombinant virus in the treatment of cancer, and also to methods for producing such viruses.

Compositions and methods are described for generating an immune response to an arenavirus. The compositions and methods described herein relate to a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector encoding one or more viral antigens for generating a protective immune response to a member of genus Arenavirus (such as a member of species Lassa virus) in the subject to which the vector is administered. The compositions and methods of the present invention may be used to prevent and/or treat an infection caused by arenavirus.

Disclosed are chimeric polypeptides based on viral membrane fusion proteins. More particularly, the present invention discloses chimeric polypeptides that comprise a virion surface exposed portion of a viral fusion protein and a heterologous structure-stabilizing moiety, and to complexes of those chimeric polypeptides. The present invention also discloses the use of these complexes in compositions and methods for eliciting an immune response to a fusion protein of an enveloped virus, or complex of the fusion protein, and/or for treating or preventing an enveloped virus infection. The present invention further discloses the use of the heterologous structure-stabilizing moiety for oligomerizing heterologous molecules of interest.

The present invention provides mRNAs usable as vaccines against lassa virus (LASV) infections. Further, the invention relates to (pharmaceutical) compositions and vaccines comprising said mRNAs and their use for treatment or prophylaxis of a lassa virus infection. The present invention further features a kit comprising the mRNAs, (pharmaceutical) compositions or vaccines and a method for treatment or prophylaxis of lassa virus infections using said mRNAs, pharmaceutical) compositions or vaccines.

Embodiments of the invention include compositions and methods related to replicative oncolytic rhabdoviruses pseudotyped with an arenavirus glycoprotein and their use as anti-cancer therapeutics particularly in combination with complement inhibitors.

The invention generally provides compositions and methods of treating or preventing an arenavirus infection, using an agent that inhibits binding of an arenavirus glycoprotein 1 (GP1) polypeptide to transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1). The invention also provides methods of designing or identifying therapeutic agents that bind to or target a GP1 receptor-binding site (RBS) to inhibit arenavirus attachment to a cell, and therapeutic agents identified using the methods.

The invention relates to recombinant measles virus expressing Lassa virus polypeptides, and concerns in particular immunogenic LASV particles expressed by a measles virus and/or virus like particles (VLPs) that contain proteins of a Lassa virus. These particles are recombinant infectious particles able to replicate in a host after an administration. The invention provides means, in particular nucleic acid constructs, vectors, cells and rescue systems to produce these recombinant infectious particles. The invention also relates to the use of these recombinant infectious particles, in particular under the form of a composition, more particularly in a vaccine formulation, for the treatment or prevention of an infection by Lassa virus.