The present disclosure is directed to alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) peptide immunogen constructs, compositions containing the constructs, antibodies elicited by the constructs, and methods for making and using the constructs and compositions thereof. The disclosed α-Syn peptide immunogen constructs contain a B cell epitope from α-Syn linked to a heterologous T helper cell (Th) epitope directly or through an optional heterologous spacer. The B cell epitope portion of the peptide immunogen constructs contain about 10 to about 25 amino acid residues of α-Syn, corresponding to the sequence from about the Glycine at position 111 (G111) to about the Asparagine at position 135 (D135) of full-length α-Syn. The α-Syn peptide immunogen constructs stimulate the generation of highly specific antibodies that are cross-reactive with the β-sheet of α-Syn as monomers, oligomers, and fibrils, but not the natural α-helix of α-Syn, offering therapeutic immune responses to hosts at risk for synucleinopathies.

Provided are methods for generating an immune response against a Zika virus in a human subject in need thereof. The methods comprise administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising adenoviral vectors encoding a Zika virus antigen and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The invention relates to a polypeptide carrier for presenting a target polypeptide, and use thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule, comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide carrier, and being used for insertion of a nucleotide sequence encoding a target polypeptide. In addition, the invention further relates to a recombinant protein comprising the polypeptide carrier and a target polypeptide. Furthermore, the invention further relates to use of the nucleic acid molecule and the recombinant protein. In addition, the invention further relates to a vaccine or a pharmaceutical composition useful for preventing, alleviating or treating HBV infection or a disease associated with HBV infection (e.g., hepatitis B), comprising a recombinant protein comprising the polypeptide carrier of the invention and an epitope from HBV.

The present invention relates to vaccine compositions, most notably vaccine compositions wherein the antigenic component is large, for example over 50 kDa, or multimeric, i.e. comprised of subunits. Such antigenic components are of particular interest, because they may represent antigenic components from pathogens that currently it is not possible to vaccinate against. The invention relates to a composition comprising a particle displaying an antigenic component, wherein said composition comprises an antigenic component comprising a first peptide tag, and a moiety comprising a second peptide tag, wherein the antigenic component and the moiety are linked via an isopeptide bond between said first and second peptide tags, and wherein the antigenic component is over 50 kDa, or alternatively is multimeric.

The present invention provides redesigned soluble coronavirus S protein derived immunogens that are stabilized via specific modifications in the wildtype soluble S sequences. Also provided in the invention are nanoparticle vaccines that contain the redesigned soluble S immunogens displayed on self-assembling nanoparticles. Polynucleotide sequences encoding the redesigned immunogens and the nanoparticle vaccines are also provided in the invention. The invention further provides methods of using the vaccine compositions in various therapeutic applications, e.g., for preventing or treating coronaviral infections.

The disclosure relates to polypeptides and pharmaceutical compositions comprising polypeptides that find use in the prevention or treatment of cancer, in particular breast cancer, ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer. The disclosure also relates to methods of inducing a cytotoxic T cell response in a subject or treating cancer by administering pharmaceutical compositions comprising the peptides, and companion diagnostic methods of identifying subjects for treatment. The peptides comprise T cell epitopes that are immunogenic in a high percentage of patients.

The present invention provides a chimeric protein that has a modular structure and comprises a receptor binding domain (RBD) from the spike protein (S) of coronaviruses, a segment able to bind the core antigen from the Hepatitis B Virus (HBcAg), a segment including six consecutive histidine residues (HHHHHH), and two spacer segments. In this chimeric protein the aforementioned segments are arranged in a specific order, and the protein is able to form hybrid nanoparticles with HBcAg. The chimeric protein is part of vaccine compositions used for the prevention of coronavirus infections. Therefore, the invention discloses a method for the prevention of coronavirus infections, whereby a vaccine composition comprising said chimeric protein is administered.

The present disclosure relates to fusion proteins that comprise one or more modified alpha virus surface glycoproteins and one or more tumor specific antigens. Also disclosed are fusion proteins that comprise one or more modified alpha virus surface glycoproteins and one or more viral specific antigens. Also disclosed are fusion proteins that comprise one or more modified alpha virus surface glycoproteins. It also relates to methods to activate the immune system in cancer patients to infiltrate and kill tumor cells or cells infected with a latent virus. The present disclosure provides a platform technology that elicits a faster, broader and stronger immune response using the fusion proteins.

The present invention provides a vaccine composition for use in neurodegenerative diseases and an infectious virus vaccine composition for inducing an antibody recognizing the conformation of antigens. The vaccine composition of the present invention induces the production of an antibody recognizing the conformation of antigens. The antibody recognizing the conformation of antigens has high specificity for an antigen, and thus can be useful for ameliorating, preventing or treating diseases.

Vaccines are provided comprising a recombinant virus which expresses an immunomodulatory protein and a target antigen unrelated to said recombinant virus, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.