The present invention relates to a technology for constructing and producing, in the form of virus-like particles (VLPs), alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) isolated from a plant transformed using a recombinant vector for plant expression that is targeted to the chloroplast, and provides a recombinant vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding a recombinant protein in which a chloroplast-targeting protein and an AMV capsid protein are fused. The present invention also provides a transgenic plant transformed by the recombinant vector, a method for isolating and purifying a target protein from the transgenic plant, a method for producing virus-like particles using same, and the like.

A vaccine composition is disclosed. The vaccine composition comprises: (a) a therapeutically effective amount of an influenza virus-like particle (VLP) comprising: (i) influenza M1, influenza M2, influenza hemagglutinin (HA), and influenza neuraminidase (NA) proteins; (b) Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsid protein VP3, recombinant FMDV VP3 (rVP3), VP3 peptide, or SUMO VP3; and (c) alum. Also disclosed is use of a vaccine composition according to the invention in the manufacture of a medicament for inducing an immunogenic response in a subject in need thereof.

The present invention relates to methods of inducing or enhancing an immune response against an immunogen in a subject. The invention further includes isolated nucleic acid vaccines, cellular vaccines, fusion proteins, expression vectors, vaccines, and immunogenic compositions for use therein.

A method of treating cancer in a subject in need thereof includes administering in situ to the cancer a therapeutically effective amount of a virus or virus-like particle.

The present invention relates to liposomal vaccine compositions, methods for the manufacture thereof, and methods for the use thereof to stimulate an immune response in an animal. These compositions comprise dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC); either dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) or dimyristoyltrimethylammonium propane (DMTAP) or both DMPC and DMTAP; and at least one sterol derivative providing a covalent anchor for one or more immunogenic polypeptide(s) or carbohydrate(s).

Novel nucleic acids include non-integrative chimeric retroviral genomes including the 5 and 3 long terminal repeat sequences (LTRs) of the caprine lentivirus: the Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) or of another retrovirus not integrating human cells and at least one viral gene of another retrovirus. A vector including such a nucleic acid, an immunogenic or vaccinal composition including the vector or the nucleic acid, as well as their use for treating and/or preventing an infection by a retrovirus or a disease induced by a pathogenic agent are also described.

Disclosed herein are viral vectors suitable for transfection into woody trees for purposes of delivering and expressing beneficial genes. Specifically exemplified herein are vectors for transfecting citrus trees. The vectors allow for the expression of useful proteins, such as those that can protect the tree from disease. Specifically exemplified herein are methods of transfecting woody trees that allow multiple applications of vectors while avoiding superinfection exclusion.

The present invention relates to liposomal vaccine compositions, methods for the manufacture thereof, and methods for the use thereof to stimulate an immune response in an animal. These compositions comprise dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC); either dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) or dimyristoyltrimethylammonium propane (DMTAP) or both DMPC and DMTAP; and at least one sterol derivative providing a covalent anchor for one or more immunogenic polypeptide(s) or carbohydrate(s).

The present invention relates to the field of the in vitro diagnosis of the progression status of an infection of an individual with a virus belonging to the family of the Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) as well as with the therapeutical treatment of this infectious disease. The invention also relates to immunological compounds and vaccine compositions comprising a polypeptide derived from gp41.

The present invention relates to methods of inducing or enhancing an immune response against an immunogen in a subject. The invention further includes isolated nucleic acid vaccines, cellular vaccines, fusion proteins, expression vectors, vaccines, and immunogenic compositions for use therein.