A combination of cationic nanoparticles and viruses and uses thereof. The use of nanoparticles for enhancing the infectious capacity of a live virus, preferably a non-enveloped live virus.

The present invention is directed to methods of purifying viral proteins for use in vaccine compositions. The method includes a capture step and a polish step. The capture step includes passing a solution containing a protein over a hydrophobic interaction chromatography column and eluting a crude protein eluate from the column. The polish step includes passing the crude protein eluate over a ligand affinity chromatography column and recovering a first flow through intermediate, passing the first flow through intermediate over an anion exchange chromatography column and recovering a second flow through intermediate, and passing the second flow through intermediate over another ligand affinity chromatography column and recovering a purified protein eluate. The present invention also provides a purified protein having a hydrophobic membrane domain that is produced by a baculovirus expression system in cultured insect cells, wherein the purified protein has a purity of greater than 85%.

Reported herein are novel recombinant respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) having an attenuated phenotype in which the native positions of the NS1 and/or NS2 genes in the RSV genome are shifted to a higher position, that is at positions that are more distal to the promoter. The changes in the gene positions may be present in combination with mutations at other loci to achieve desired levels of attenuation and immunogenicity. The recombinant RSV strains described here are suitable for use as live-attenuated RSV vaccines. Also provided are polynucleotide sequences capable of encoding the described viruses, as well as methods for producing and using the viruses.

Provided is a vaccine composition for preventing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, which is in the form of a liposome formulation including a RSV antigen, monophosphoryl lipid A (MLA), and/or a cobalt-porphyrin-phospholipid (CoPoP) conjugate. The vaccine composition exhibits excellent vaccine efficacy from a RSV antigen with enhanced immunogenicity and a combination of immune adjuvants for enhancing immune activity and antigen presentation.

Methods for improving the drying yield and stability of RSV vaccines comprising a highly thermolabile enveloped live virus and/or one or more RSV protein subunits, are described. Methods for rapid drying of RSV formulations containing between 17.5% and 60% w/w of a non-polymeric sugar and using either conduction or radiation dominant drying mechanisms, are disclosed. The disclosed methods provide for; 1) a dried RSV formulation with improved stability profile; 2) faster drying; and 3) integration of dried RSV into a primary device (such as dual chamber cartridges, foil-pouch devices etc.), pre- as well as post-drying.

The present invention concerns a method for production of an active ingredient of a drug or diagnostic agent, in which (a) MDCK cells are infected with a virus; and (b) the MDCK cells are cultured in suspension culture on a commercial scale under conditions that permit multiplication of the viruses; in which culturing occurs in a volume of at least 30 L. The invention also concerns a method for production of a drug or diagnostic agent in which an active ingredient is produced according to the above method and mixed with an appropriate adjuvant, auxiliary, buffer, diluent or drug carrier.

Reported herein are novel recombinant respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) having an attenuated phenotype in which the native positions of the NS1 and/or NS2 genes in the RSV genome are shifted to a higher position, that is at positions that are more distal to the promoter. The changes in the gene positions may be present in combination with mutations at other loci to achieve desired levels of attenuation and immunogenicity. The recombinant RSV strains described here are suitable for use as live-attenuated RSV vaccines. Also provided are polynucleotide sequences capable of encoding the described viruses, as well as methods for producing and using the viruses.

The disclosure provides combination mRNA vaccines for respiratory viruses, as well as methods of using the vaccines.

A respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine comprising a recombinant fusion protein antigen. In one embodiment, the recombinant fusion protein antigen comprises a phosphoprotein (P) moiety, wherein the P moiety is a polypeptide that shares at least 90% identity to the polypeptide represented by SEQ ID NO 2 or SEQ ID NO 4; and a flagellin moiety, wherein the flagellin moiety is a polypeptide that shares at least 90% identity to the polypeptide represented by SEQ ID NO 8; whereby the P moiety and flagellin moiety are covalently coupled so as to form a linear polypeptide.

A respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine comprising a recombinant fusion protein antigen. In one embodiment, the recombinant fusion protein antigen comprises a phosphoprotein (P) moiety, wherein the P moiety is a polypeptide that shares at least 90% identity to the polypeptide represented by SEQ ID NO 2 or SEQ ID NO 4; and a flagellin moiety, wherein the flagellin moiety is a polypeptide that shares at least 90% identity to the polypeptide represented by SEQ ID NO 8; whereby the P moiety and flagellin moiety are covalently coupled so as to form a linear polypeptide.