Methods of using azide-modified biomolecules, such as fatty acids, carbohydrates and lipids, to treat a plant, an insect or an animal infected with a virus or to inhibit infectivity of a virus, such as the human immunodeficiency virus, are provided. Also provided are methods of labeling a virus, such as human immunodeficiency virus, with an azide-modified biomolecule, such as a fatty acid, a carbohydrate, or an isoprenoid lipid. Also, provided are methods of tracking a virus in vivo, with an azide-modified biomolecule, such as a fatty acid, a carbohydrate, or an isoprenoid lipid. The azide-modified biomolecules may be combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient to produce a pharmaceutical composition, optionally containing another anti-viral agent and/or a delivery agent, such as a liposome.

A lentiviral vector production system comprises (a) a lentiviral culture supplement to control cell growth, (b) a transfection reagent comprising DHDMS, DOPE, and cholesterol to increase transfection efficiency, (c) a lentiviral production enhancer comprising sodium propionate, sodium butyrate, and caffeine to boost lentiviral production, wherein the lentiviral vector production system is serum-free. A method of lentiviral vector production comprises using the lentiviral production system. Another method for lentiviral vector production comprises (a) culturing eukaryotic cells in a serum-free medium, (b) providing a lentiviral culture supplement to control cell growth, (c) transfecting the cells with a lentiviral vector using a transfection reagent comprising DHDMS, DOPE, and cholesterol to increase transfection efficiency, and (d) providing a lentiviral production using a lentiviral production enhancer comprising sodium propionate, sodium butyrate capable of boosting lentiviral production.

The present relation relates to recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus for use as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases of AIDS. The present invention encompasses the preparation and purification of immunogenic compositions which are formulated into the vaccines of the present invention.

HIV neutralizing peptides, sulfated HIV-1 envelope proteins and immunogenic fragments thereof are disclosed, as well as nucleic acids encoding these molecules and methods of producing these peptides, envelope proteins and fragments. Methods are also provided for the treatment or prevention of a human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1 ) infection. The methods can include administering to a subject an HIV neutralizing peptide, sulfated HIV-1 envelope protein or immunogenic fragment thereof as disclosed herein. In several embodiments, administering the HIV neutralizing peptide, sulfated HIV-1 envelope protein or immunogenic fragment generates an immune response in a subject.

This disclosure relates to the use of size exclusion chromatography and/or size exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering technology to characterize viral particles such as adeno-associated virus and lentivirus particles. The disclosed methods are also useful for estimating the titer of viral particles, determining the integrity of the viral particles and estimating the amount of DNA encapsidated in the viral particle.

Viral vector production processes and methods of purifying a viral vector from a host cell are provided herein.

The present invention provides a method for producing a virus and a harvesting solution composition. The method includes culturing cells, wherein the cells have been inoculated with viruses or have been transfected with viral packaging elements; and contacting the cultured cells with a harvesting solution composition to harvest the viruses by one-step, wherein the harvesting solution composition comprises a trypsin, a pH buffer and optionally a nuclease, and the pH of the harvesting solution composition is greater than 7.5 and no more than 10.5. The virus production method of the present invention has advantages of simple operation, easy scale-up, stable yield and so on, and the yield is unexpectedly and significantly improved compared to the prior art, and it can ensure the integrity of the viral particles without damaging the biological activity of the viruses. Therefore, it is very suitable for large-scale production of viruses.

The invention is directed to methods for purifying recombinant proteins, e.g. HIV-1 envelope trimers and/or nanoparticles, wherein the methods do not use an affinity step.

The present invention relates to the industrialization of the production of recombinant lentiviral vectors in order to manufacture sufficient materials for therapeutic applications such as gene therapy and/or DNA vaccination, for use in clinical trials and/or commercial use.

A multi-layer microfluidic bioreactor is used in methods for culturing cells. A grooved semipermeable substrate can capture and grow cells using perfusion culture methods. Microfluidic geometry directs flow over grooves for cell expansion and along grooves for cell harvesting. The bioreactor and methods can be optimized for high density and automated processing for growth of cells.