Provided herein are fumaric and maleic acid-containing compounds, compositions comprising the same and methods for using such compounds to enhance production, growth, spread or titer of interferon-sensitive viruses in cells, particularly cancer and tumor cells. Also provided are methods of treating tumors or cancers in a subject by administering the compounds and compositions.

Provided are a human type 55 replication defective adenovirus vector, a method for preparing the same and uses thereof. The human type 55 replication defective adenovirus vector is prepared by the following method: knocking out E1 and E3 genes from Ad55, substituting the open reading frame 6 or the open reading frames 2, 3, 4, 6, and 6/7 of E4 gene in Ad55 genome with the corresponding open reading frames of Ad5 genome. In addition, an exogenous gene expression cassette may also be integrated into the E1 gene region of Ad55.

The present application includes stabilized adenovirus compositions comprising an adenovirus and an excipient, wherein the excipient comprises a mixture of dextran and mannitol in amounts effective to maintain at least 40% of the adenovirus activity after spray drying.

The present invention relates to a method for virus assay. More closely the invention relates a method for total quantification of adenovirus in a sample as well as total and functional (active) adenovirus in a sample. The method for determining adenovirus concentration in a sample comprises subjecting said sample to SPR (surface plasmon resonance) assay with immobilized FX (Factor X) and/or immobilized CAR (coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor) on a sensor surface, wherein the adenovirus concentration is determined from sample binding to immobilized FX and/or immobilized CAR. CAR can be replaced by an ligand binding to adenovirus fiber, such as an anti-adenovirus fiber antibody. FX can be replaced by a ligand binding to adenovirus hexon, such as an anti-adenovirus hexon antibody. The method can be used for quality control in an adenovirus purification process, for example for gene therapy.

Viruses, and particularly genetically engineered, replication deficient viruses such as adenoviruses, poxviruses, MVA viruses, and baculoviruses which encode one or more antigens of interest, such as TB, malarial, and HIV antigens, are spray dried with a mannitol-cyclodextrin-trehalose-dextran (MCTD) to form a powder where the viability of the viruses are maintained at a suitable level for mass vaccinations after spray drying, and where the viability of the viruses are maintained at suitable level over a period of storage time, even in the presence of humidity.

Vaccine compositions that may be administered to a subject via the buccal and/or sublingual mucosa are provided. Methods for administration and preparation of such vaccine compositions are also provided.

A sterile pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous solution, which solution is provided in a sealed container and comprises: a pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous solvent; viral particles or a physiologically active polypeptide; an excipient selected from a polyethyleneimine; a compound of formula (I) or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof; or a compound of formula (II) or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof; and optionally, one or more sugars.

Provided herein are methods to characterize preparations of recombinant viral particles using analytical ultracentrifugation. Recombinant viral particles include recombinant adeno-associated viral particles, recombinant adenoviral particles, recombinant lentiviral particles and recombinant herpes simplex virus particles. Variant species of recombinant viral particles including empty capsids and recombinant viral particles with variant genomes (e.g., truncated genomes, aggregates, recombinants) can be identified and quantitated. The methods can be used to characterize preparations of recombinant viral particles regardless of the sequence of the recombinant viral genome or the serotype of the recombinant viral capsid.

Methods for separating AAV empty capsids from mixtures of AAV vector particles and AAV empty capsids are described. The methods use column chromatography techniques and provide for commercially viable levels of recombinant AAV virions.

Provided are compounds of Formula (II) that enhance the efficacy of viruses by increasing spread of the virus in cells, increasing the titer of virus in cells, or increasing the antigen expression from a virus, gene or trans-gene expression from a virus, or virus protein expression in cells. Other uses, compositions and methods of using same are also provided. Compounds of Formula (II): ##STR00001##