The invention relates to chimeric norovirus VP1 proteins containing the S-domain of VP1 of a first norovirus strain and a P-domain that contains at least a portion of the P-domain of VP1 of a second norovirus strain. The invention also relates to nucleic acids that encode the chimeric VP1 proteins, virus-like particles that contain a chimeric norovirus VP1 protein, and to immunogenic compositions

Methods of purifying virus-like particles (VLPs) that are substantially free of process contaminants and infectious agents. The methods incorporate, for example, low-pH treatment during harvest and/or inactivation by a solvent and/or detergent during VLP capture.

Nucleic acids encoding modified norovirus VP1 proteins, and virus-like particles (VLPs) containing one or more of the modified norovirus VP1 proteins, and compositions containing the nucleic acids, VP1 proteins, or the VLPs are provided. Methods for producing modified norovirus VP1 protein, and norovirus VLP, production in plants, portions of the plant or a plant cell, are also provided.

Disclosed herein are vaccine compositions, in particular, polyvalent icosahedral compositions for antigen presentation. The disclosed compositions may contain an S particle made up of recombinant fusion proteins. The recombinant fusion proteins may include a norovirus (NoV) S domain protein, a linker protein domain operatively connected to the norovirus S domain protein, and an antigen protein domain operatively connected to said linker.

The present invention provides methods and compositions comprising a chimeric norovirus capsid protein comprising a norovirus VP1 major capsid protein backbone comprising a norovirus epitope selected from the group consisting of: a) Epitope A; b) Epitope B; c) Epitope C; d) Epitope D; e) Epitope E; f) Epitope F; and g) any combination of (a) through (f) above, wherein the norovirus epitope is from a norovirus strain that is different from the norovirus VP1 major capsid protein backbone.

An isolated expression enhancer active in a plant, portion of a plant or plant cell, the expression enhancer is provided. The isolated expression enhancer may be selected from the group consisting of nbEPI42 (SEQ ID NO:1); nbSNS46 (SEQ ID NO:2); nbCSY65 (SEQ ID NO:3); nbHEL40 (SEQ ID NO:4); and nbSEP44 (SEQ ID NO:5). Methods for using the isolated expression enhancer are also provided.

The present invention is directed to nucleic acids and related immunogenic polypeptides for the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases. In particular, the nucleic acids and immunogenic polypeptides provide utility for the prophylactic prevention of norovirus infections in a mammal. The invention is further directed to nucleic acid-based vaccine compositions and a kit of parts comprising the vaccine compositions, as well as methods of treatment and medical uses relating to the nucleic acids, vaccine compositions, and kit of parts.

The present disclosure provides pharmaceutical compositions for delivery of viral antigens (e.g., a viral vaccine) and related technologies (e.g., components thereof and/or methods relating thereto).

The present invention may be included in the field of biotechnology and it covers the improved production of recombinant proteins in insect cells or insect larvae as biofactories by a novel expression cassette. This expression cassette comprises nucleic acid sequences such as promoters, homologous regions (hr) as enhancers, and sequences encoding transcriptional regulators, for example, the baculovirus Ac-ie-01 cDNA, or any combination thereof, which are able to increase the quality and production efficiency of the recombinant proteins. Moreover, the present invention is also directed to the vectors themselves comprising the above mentioned nucleic acid sequences of the invention, cells or insects infected, transformed or transfected with those sequences or vectors, and methods for producing the recombinant proteins by using the aforesaid sequences, vectors, cells or insects.

The present invention provides nucleic acid-loaded virus-like particles (VLPs) that can be produced in plants and are designed to deliver a nucleic acid into mammalian cells. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the nucleic acid-loaded VLPs, and methods of making and using the nucleic acid-loaded VLPs.