The present invention provides an oncolytic virus comprising nucleotide sequence(s) encoding one or more immune checkpoint modulator(s). It also concerns a pharmaceutical composition comprising effective amount of said oncolytic virus and, eventually, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and its use for treating proliferative diseases such as cancers.

Compositions and methods of use are provided to boost a primed immune response to HIV. More specifically, the present invention relates to vaccine compositions comprising an HIV-protein boost or an MVA-expressed Env protein and methods of use. Exemplary HIV proteins for protein boosts include proteins such as gp120 proteins B.6352111mutC and full-length single chain (FLSC), which has been modified to stabilize a CD4-induced Env structure. Exemplary MVAs expressing secreted Methods of administration and dosing regimens are also provided.

This invention provides vaccines for inducing an immune response and protection against filovirus infection for use as a preventative vaccine in humans. In particular, the invention provides chimpanzee adenoviral vectors expressing filovirus proteins from different strains of Ebolavirus (EBOV) or Marburg virus (MARV).

Compositions and methods of use are provided to boost a primed immune response to HIV. More specifically, the present invention relates to vaccine compositions comprising an HIV-protein boost or an MVA-expressed Env protein and methods of use. Exemplary HIV proteins for protein boosts include proteins such as gp120 proteins B.6352111mutC and full-length single chain (FLSC), which has been modified to stabilize a CD4-induced Env structure. Exemplary MVAs expressing secreted Methods of administration and dosing regimens are also provided.

The invention relates to vectors comprising two or more homologous nucleotide sequences and methods for generating them. The invention concerns substituting bases in the homologous nucleotide sequences with different bases that do not alter the encoded amino acid sequence. The invention allows for the reduction of intramolecular recombination between homologous nucleotide sequences, in particular in mammalian cells. The invention further relates to nucleotide sequences containing substituted bases.

The present invention can induce stronger cellular immunity to hepatitis C and provide a treatment means and a prevention means that are effective in completely eliminating the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Provided is a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment and/or prevention of hepatitis C, said composition comprising a recombinant vaccinia virus (a) and a recombinant vector (b) and characterized in that after one of the recombinant vaccinia virus (a) and the recombinant vector (b) is administered for initial immunity, the other is administered for additional immunity. The recombinant vaccinia virus (a) contains an expression promoter and all or a portion of the cDNA of the HCV genome. The recombinant vector (b) contains an expression promoter and all or a portion of the cDNA of the HCV (where the cDNA contained in the recombinant vector (b) has a different base sequence than that included in the recombinant vaccinia virus (a)).

The invention relates to vectors comprising two or more homologous nucleotide sequences and methods for generating them. The invention concerns substituting bases in the homologous nucleotide sequences with different bases that do not alter the encoded amino acid sequence. The invention allows for the reduction of intramolecular recombination between homologous nucleotide sequences, in particular in mammalian cells. The invention further relates to nucleotide sequences containing substituted bases.

There is provided a method for inserting a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a foreign peptide into a poxvirus genome, said method comprising: identifying in the poxvirus genome a poxvirus open reading frame wherein said open reading frame is characterized by an initial ATG start codon and wherein expression of said open reading frame is driven by an operably-linked poxvirus promoter located upstream of the open reading frame and wherein expression of said open reading frame provides a peptide that is non-essential to viability of the poxvirus; and inserting the nucleic acid sequence that encodes the foreign peptide at a position downstream of the poxvirus promoter; wherein following said insertion, (i) the nucleic acid that encodes the foreign peptide is operably-linked to the poxvirus promoter and expression of said nucleic acid is driven by said poxvirus promoter; and (ii) translation of the foreign peptide is initiated at an ATG start codon located at the same position as the ATG start codon of the poxvirus open reading frame. Also provided are a poxvirus vector and corresponding uses of the poxvirus vector in medicine.

Disclosed herein are viruses that can be used in methods of treatment for cancer. More specifically, the viruses express two or more antibodies which induce an effective anti-tumor immune response. The viruses also can be used in diagnostic methods.

The present invention provides a poxvirus-derived promoter, a vector comprising the same, a method for expressing a transgene using the promoter, and use of the vector in the prevention or treatment of a disease. A promoter according to the present invention can be used for induction of strong expression of a transgene.