Transcriptional units encoding Zika virus (ZIKV) premembrane (prM) and envelope (E) proteins, which upon translation form Zika virus-like particles (VLPs), are described. Use of the transcriptional units and VLPs in three different ZIKV vaccine platforms is described. Immunoassay-based detection methods using ZIKV VLPs are described for the diagnosis of ZIKV infection.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for treatment of Batten disease. Such compositions include a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV), said rAAV comprising an AAV capsid, and a vector genome packaged therein, said vector genome comprising (a) an AAV 5′ inverted terminal repeat (ITR) sequence; (b) a promoter; (c) a CLN2 coding sequence encoding a human TPP1; (d) an AAV 3′ ITR.

The invention relates to a viral expression construct and related viral vector and composition and to their use wherein said construct and vector comprise elements a) and b): a) a nucleotide sequence encoding an insulin operably linked to a first promoter, b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a glucokinase operably linked to a second promoter and said viral expression construct and related viral vector comprise at least one of elements c), d) and e): c) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct, d) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct and are located adjacent to each other and e) the first promoter is a CMV promoter, preferably a mini CMV promoter.

Provided herein are HIV-1 vaccines comprising a carrier and a population episensus antigen determined using the EpiGraph approach. Also provided are HIV-1 vaccines comprising a carrier, a population episensus antigen, and a tailored antigen. Also provided are methods of designing and producing an HIV-1 vaccine for a subject comprising designing vaccine antigens to optimally cover the diversity within a geographic area using an antigen amino acid sequence generated using the EpiGraph approach, and producing said designed vaccine antigen. Also provided are methods of inducing an effector memory T cell response comprising designing the one or more EpiGraph amino acid sequences, producing a vaccine comprising the one or more EpiGraph amino acid sequences and a vector, and administering the vaccine to a subject. Further provided are methods of treating HIV-1 in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of the described HIV-1 vaccines to the subject in need thereof.

The present disclosure relates to development of a eukaryotic cell expression vector satisfying optimized conditions for gene therapies and DNA vaccines. As a result of replacing the full HCMV regulatory and transcribed region including the immediate early (IE) gene intron A of the HCMV Towne strain and the same region of various HCMV strains at the pVAX1 promoter region and comparing the difference in gene expression efficiency for the different HCMV strains, the eukaryotic cell expression vector of the present disclosure could increase the expression of various genes by about 50-150% as compared to the HCMV Towne strain. Through this, pHP3 was developed as a vector exhibiting high expression in eukaryotic cells, and it can be usefully used for gene therapies or DNA vaccines.

Human cytomegalovirus vectors comprising heterologous antigens are disclosed. The vectors derived from the TR strain, are ganciclovir sensitive, include active US2, US3, US6, US7 and UL131A genes, and have a deleterious or inactivating mutation in the UL82 gene preventing the expression of pp71.

An expression vector for mammalian cells includes a selection cassette with a nucleotide sequence encoding a glutamine synthetase, operably linked to a PGK promoter and a pA signal. The vector may include the EASE element which is known to promote stable integration of the expression cassettes into the genome. The vector also includes a selection cassette with a nucleotide sequence encoding an enzyme that confers resistance against an antibiotic to a bacterial host as a bacterial selection marker, operably linked to a suitable promoter. The vector further includes an expression cassette for a target polypeptide with an insertion site for a nucleotide sequence encoding the target polypeptide, operably linked to a. CMV promoter and a pA signal. The vector also includes a bacterial origin of replication.

Methods and compositions are disclosed for inducing immune responses against one or more antigens in a mammal.

The present invention provides methods for inducing regression of tumors in human subjects, the methods utilize a modified mesogenic strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) with modified F protein cleavage site, which is non-pathogenic to poultry (lentogenic), but exhibits oncolytic properties. The disclosed methods provide safe, effective and reliable means to induce regression of a tumor in an individual in need thereof. These methods overcome the drawbacks of using pathogenic strains of viruses for human therapy.

Provided herein are HIV-1 vaccines comprising a carrier and a population episensus antigen determined using the EpiGraph approach. Also provided are HIV-1 vaccines comprising a carrier, a population episensus antigen, and a tailored antigen. Also provided are methods of designing and producing an HIV-1 vaccine for a subject comprising designing vaccine antigens to optimally cover the diversity within a geographic area using an antigen amino acid sequence generated using the EpiGraph approach, and producing said designed vaccine antigen. Also provided are methods of inducing an effector memory T cell response comprising designing the one or more EpiGraph amino acid sequences, producing a vaccine comprising the one or more EpiGraph amino acid sequences and a vector, and administering the vaccine to a subject. Further provided are methods of treating HIV-1 in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of the described HIV-1 vaccines to the subject in need thereof.