The present invention relates to recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and to methods of using the same. In particular, the invention relates to recombinant MVA comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding for a structural protein of an equine encephalitis virus (EEV) excluding encoding for a capsid protein of the EEV, a composition in particular a pharmaceutical composition, a vaccine or kit comprising the recombinant MVA, uses and methods thereof e.g., suitable for treating and/or preventing a western, Venezuelan, and/or eastern equine encephalitis virus caused disease.

Disclosed are methods of producing poxvirus-based vectors or recombinant poxvirus-based vectors from naturally derived, chemically synthesized DNA fragments, or a combination of naturally derived and chemically synthesized DNA fragments. One or more DNA sequences encoding one or more antigens, subunits or fragments thereof or other heterologous gene sequences are inserted in one or more poxvirus insertion sites in one or more DNA fragments. The methods include transfecting a host cell with one or more circular or linear DNA fragments such that a poxvirus or recombinant poxvirus is reconstituted in the host cell, the reconstituted poxvirus or recombinant poxvirus comprising the genome of a desired poxvirus. Also disclosed are poxviruses or recombinant poxviruses produced by the technology and uses thereof.

The present invention relates to oncolytic vaccinia viruses which have been modified to promote anti-tumor immunity and/or reduce host immunity and/or antibody response against the virus. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that oncolytic vaccinia virus (i) bearing a genome deletion of a gene that reduces T cell immunity (interleukin-18 binding protein); (ii) treated with a sialidase enzyme which is believed to reduce TLR2 activation and therefore the antibody response; (iii) carrying a gene that enhances cytotoxic T lymphocyte induction (e.g., TRIF) and/or (iv) reduces tumor myeloid-derived suppressor cells by reducing prostaglandin E2 reduces tumor growth. Accordingly, the present invention provides for immunooncolytic vaccinia viruses and methods of using them in the treatment of cancers.

The present invention provides a genetically recombinant vaccinia virus effective in preventing or treating cancer. Specifically, the present invention provides a vaccinia virus comprising two polynucleotides, a polynucleotide encoding IL-7 and a polynucleotide encoding IL-12; a combination kit of two vaccinia viruses, a vaccinia virus comprising a polynucleotide encoding IL-7 and a vaccinia virus comprising a polynucleotide encoding IL-12; and use of the two vaccinia viruses in combination.

Provided are: a recombinant vaccinia virus which is effective for the prevention of the development of a disease by the infection by H7 avian influenza virus and has high safety; and a vaccine against H7 avian influenza virus, which comprises the recombinant vaccinia virus. The recombinant vaccinia virus according to the present invention is a recombinant vaccinia virus having such a structure that an expression promoter and the full length or a part of cDNA encoding hemagglutinin protein of H7 avian influenza virus are contained in the genome for vaccinia virus strain DIs.

Expression vectors ideal for use in vaccinating individuals against disease based on vaccinia virus and other chordopoxviruses having high expression of recombinant genes and low expression of vector genes in target animals, and low expression of recombinant genes and high expression of vector genes in cells used for propagation.

The present disclosure relates to modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus or MVAΔE3L delivered intratumorally or systemically as an anticancer immunotherapeutic agent, alone, or in combination with one or more immune checkpoint blocking agents for the treatment of malignant solid tumors. Particular embodiments relate to mobilizing the host's immune system to mount an immune response against the tumor.

The present invention provides a particle comprising a fusion protein, wherein the fusion protein comprises at least one NANP repeat (SEQ ID NO: 7), some or all of the C-terminus of the CS protein from Plasmodium falciparum and a hepatitis B surface antigen, and wherein the particle comprises no, or substantially no, free hepatitis B surface antigen protein, and uses thereof.

This invention provides a vaccinia virus that grows specifically in a cancer cell and damages such cancer cell and the use of such virus for treatment of cancer. Such mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent vaccinia virus strain lacks functions of vaccinia virus growth factor (VGF) and O1L, it does not grow in normal cells but grows specifically in cancer cells, and it has oncolytic properties that specifically damage cancer cells.

The present invention discloses a modified interleukin 12 (nsIL-12) and its gene, recombinant vector and use in manufacture of a medicament for treatment of tumors. When the oncolytic adenovirus vector carrying the modified interleukin 12 gene targets tumor tissue, the modified interleukin 12 is continuously expressed at a low level and mainly distributed in the local tumor tissue, which improves the specificity to tumor cells and reduces the systemic toxicity of interleukin 12; the modified interleukin 12 shows stronger inhibitory effect on tumor growth in intraperitoneally disseminated tumors and orthotopic tumors, and has low toxicity. The modified interleukin 12 armed oncolytic viruses show excellent anti-tumor effects, with a significant regression of tumors and lower toxicity compared with the existing IL-12 armed virus.