Chimeric flaviviruses engineered to contain a reporter gene and chimeric nucleic acid molecules encoding the chimeric flaviviruses are described. The chimeric flaviviruses further include genomic non-coding regions, non-structural proteins, and at least a portion of a capsid (C) protein from West Nile virus (WNV), and premembrane (prM) and envelope (E) proteins from dengue virus (DENV). Diagnostic assays that utilize chimeric West Nile/dengue viruses are further described.

Certain embodiments are directed to a stable recombinant flavivirus nucleic acid having a heterologous reporter cassette, the reporter cassette having a 5′ end, a nucleotide segment encoding a reporter, and a 3′ end; the 5′ end of the reporter cassette encoding 25 to 38 amino acids of a flavivirus capsid protein; the 3′ end of the reporter cassette encoding 25 to 38 amino acids of a flavivirus capsid protein.

The invention is directed to antibodies, and antigen-binding fragments thereof, that potently neutralize infection of ZIKV. The invention also relates to antigenic sites to which the antibodies and antigen-binding fragments bind, as well as to nucleic acids that encode the antibodies of the invention, and immortalized B cells that produce such antibodies and antibody fragments. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the antibodies and antibody fragments of the invention in screening methods as well as in the diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of ZIKV infection.

The present application relates to composition of matter, processes and use of composition of matter relating to flavivirus proteins, peptides, and epitopes, for example, for therapeutic or preventative vaccination against one or more flavivirus serotypes or species, and/or for inducing, enhancing, or sustaining an immune response against at least one flavivirus serotype or species. The flavivirus may be for example the Zika and/or Dengue virus.

The present invention relates to dengue virus vaccine compositions comprising a first and a second dengue vaccine, wherein the first dengue vaccine comprises at least one live, 5 attenuated dengue virus or live, attenuated chimeric dengue virus and the second dengue vaccine is a recombinant dengue subunit vaccine, a DNA vaccine, a conjugate vaccine, or an inactivated dengue vaccine; wherein the genome of the live attenuated dengue virus or the live attenuated chimeric dengue virus comprises a 30 nucleotide deletion of the TL2 stem-loop structure of the 3′ untranslated region. The dengue virus vaccine compositions of the invention may further 10 comprise one or more adjuvants. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the first and the second dengue vaccine are tetravalent. The invention also relates to methods of using the dengue virus vaccine compositions of the invention to treat or prevent dengue infection, or to prevent, ameliorate, or delay the onset or progression of the clinical manifestations thereof.

The present disclosure relates to Zika vaccines. In certain embodiments, this disclosure relates to vaccine compositions for use in methods of protecting a human subject against Zika disease or infection, wherein said composition comprises a vaccinal for Zika such as a live attenuated or inactivated chimeric Zika virus; live attenuated Zika virus; an inactivated Zika virus; a replication-defective pseudo-infectious Zika virus; a Zika virus-like particle (VLP), a Zika protein or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the Zika vaccinal comprises or encodes altered polypeptide sequences disclosed herein.

The present disclosure relates to vaccine compositions that comprise a Zika virus antigen and an adjuvant. The present disclosure also provides methods for inducing a protective immune response by administering the disclosed vaccine compositions in a subject in needs thereof. The present methods also comprise the binding of the Zika virus vaccine to Zika virus cellular receptor proteins.

The invention relates to polynucleotides comprising the sequence of a flavivirus preceded by a sequence encoding an N terminal part of a flavivirus Capsid protein, an immunogenic protein, or a part thereof comprising a an immunogenic peptide, and a 2A cleaving peptide, and to the virus encoded by such sequences. The invention further relates to the use of such polynucleotides and viruses as vaccines.

Embodiments herein report compositions, uses and manufacturing of dengue virus constructs and live attenuated dengue viruses. Some embodiments concern a composition that includes, but is not limited to, a tetravalent dengue virus composition. In certain embodiments, compositions can include constructs of one or more serotypes of dengue virus, such as dengue-1 (DEN-1) virus, dengue-2 (DEN-2) virus, dengue-3 (DEN-3) or dengue-4 (DEN-4) virus constructs. In other embodiments, constructs disclosed herein can be combined in a composition to generate a vaccine against more one or more dengue virus constructs that may or may not be subsequently passaged in mammalian cells.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a modified mRNA that is stabilised by sequence modifications and optimised for translation. The pharmaceutical composition according to the invention is particularly well suited for use as an inoculating agent, as well as a therapeutic agent for tissue regeneration. In addition, a process is described for determining sequence modifications that promote stabilisation and translational efficiency of modified mRNA of the invention.