The present invention relates to variant AAV capsid polypeptides, wherein the variant capsid polypeptides exhibit an enhanced neutralization profile, increased transduction and/or tropism in human liver tissue or hepatocyte cells (i.e., human hepatocyte cells), or both, as compared non-variant parent capsid polypeptides.

There is provided inter alia an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1, (b) a functional derivative of a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the functional derivative has an amino acid sequence which is at least 80% identical over its entire length to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and
(c) a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 3.

There is provided inter alia an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1, (b) a functional derivative of a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the functional derivative has an amino acid sequence which is at least 80% identical over its entire length to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and (c) a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 3.

The invention is directed to the field of gene therapy, i.e. gene delivery into target cells, tissue, organ and organism, and more particularly to gene delivery via viral vectors. The inventors showed that it is possible by chemical coupling to modulate the coupling of a ligand in the surface of the capsid of AAV, for example AAV2 and AAV3b. In particular, the present invention relates to a recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus (rAAV) vector particle having at least one primary amino group contained in the capsid proteins, chemically coupled with at least one ligand L wherein coupling of said ligand L is implemented through a bond comprising a —CSNH— bond and an optionally substituted aromatic moiety.

Particularly, the inventors tested the chemical coupling of mannose ligand on AAV2 for subretinally injection to rats. The present invention further relates to a method for chemically coupling an Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) vector particle with at least one ligand L and to a Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus (rAAV) vector particle obtained by said method as well as a pharmaceutical composition comprising it and their corresponding medical use.

Vectors having a nucleotide sequence having SEQ ID NO:1 or a nucleotide sequence having at least 85% identity to SEQ ID NO:1, or a portion thereof, that is capable of regulating bocaparvovirus replication, or vectors having the complement of the nucleotide sequence, and methods of using the vectors, are provided.

The invention provides hybrid and recombinant phagemid vectors for expressing a transgene in a target cell transduced with the vector. A recombinant phagemid particle comprises at least one transgene expression cassette which encodes an agent which exerts a biological effect on the target cell, characterised in that the phagemid particle comprises a genome which lacks at least 50% of its bacteriophage genome. The invention extends to the use of such phagemid expression systems as a research tool, and for the delivery of transgenes in a variety of gene therapy applications, DNA and/or peptide vaccine delivery and imaging techniques. The invention extends to in vitro, in vivo or in situ methods for producing viral vectors, such as recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) or lentivirus vectors (rLV), and to genetic constructs used in such methods.

The present disclosure includes an immunogenic composition comprising an effective amount of a therapeutic engineered phage and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In certain aspects, the disclosure includes a method of stimulating an immune response in a subject comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising an effective amount of a therapeutic engineered phage. In certain aspects, the disclosure includes a method for treating, ameliorating, and/or preventing a coronavirus infection in a subject comprising administering a composition comprising an effective amount of a therapeutic engineered phage.

The present disclosure provides rAAV vectors and rAAV virions that specifically express exogenous nucleic acid sequences in CD14.sup.+ cells. The rAAV vectors or virions are useful for specifically expressing exogenous nucleic acid sequences encoding, for example, cancer antigens, viral antigens, and/or bacterial antigens in monocytes and dendritic cells. The rAAV transduced CD14.sup.+ cells can be used as antigen presenting cells that induce antigen-specific T cell responses. The present disclosure further provides methods producing rAAV virions and methods of immunotherapy.

The present disclosure provides rAAV vectors and rAAV virions that specifically express exogenous nucleic acid sequences in CD14.sup.+ cells. The rAAV vectors or virions are useful for specifically expressing exogenous nucleic acid sequences encoding, for example, cancer antigens, viral antigens, and/or bacterial antigens in monocytes and dendritic cells. The rAAV transduced CD14.sup.+ cells can be used as antigen presenting cells that induce antigen-specific T cell responses. The present disclosure further provides methods producing rAAV virions and methods of immunotherapy.

This disclosure describes a number of different polypeptide sequences, and the nucleic acid sequences encoding such polypeptide sequences, that can be used alone or in combination as universal vaccines (e.g., against influenza A or influenza B in humans or influenza in swine).