The present invention provides a fusion polypeptide that induces a humoral immune response and a cellular immune response to a virus, containing antigens or fragments thereof of the following (a) and (b), and having an oligomerization activity: (a) an antigen of the virus or a fragment thereof containing a B cell epitope conserved among subtypes of the virus; and (b) an antigen of the virus or a fragment thereof containing a T cell epitope conserved among subtypes of the virus (wherein the antigen(s) or the fragment(s) thereof of (a) and/or (b) have an oligomerization activity, or the fusion polypeptide further contains (c) a polypeptide having an oligomerization activity in addition to the antigens or the fragments thereof (a) and (b)).

Disclosed are vaccines capable of achieving protection against RSV while avoiding vaccine-enhanced disease (VED). In particular, vaccine constructs have been molecularly designed and genetically engineered to comprise RSV fusion (F) protein displayed on the surface of a particle, such as a virus-like particles (VLP) and low temperature-prepared split RSV. In some embodiments, the RSV F protein is in a pre-fusion F conformation. Also disclosed a variants and combinations of split RSV and RSV F DNA vaccine with pre-fusion F and enhanced efficacy. In addition, disclosed split RSV vaccines containing pre-fusion F conformation and combination adjuvants MPL and CpG.

A method for synthesizing influenza virus-like particles (VLPs) within a plant or a portion of a plant is provided. The method involves expression of influenza HA in plants and the purification by size exclusion chromatography. The invention is also directed towards a VLP comprising influenza HA protein and plant lipids. The invention is also directed to a nucleic acid encoding influenza HA as well as vectors. The VLPs may be used to formulate influenza vaccines, or may be used to enrich existing vaccines.

The present disclosure generally relates to viral-based expression systems suitable for the production of molecule of interests in recombinant host cells. The disclosure particularly relates to nucleic acid constructs, such as expression vectors, containing a modified arterivirus genome or replicon RNA in which at least some of its original viral sequence has been deleted. Also included in the disclosure are viral-based expression vectors including one or more expression cassettes encoding heterologous polypeptides. In some embodiments, the expression cassettes are configured and positioned at defined locations on the viral genome so as to enable expression of the heterologous polypeptides in a tunable manner.

Provided herein are compositions and methods for regulating expression of effector molecules using regulatable transcription factors and/or activation inducible promoters.

Disclosed are peptides comprising a monomeric Fc fragment of an immunoglobulin recognized by a neonatal receptor (FcRn); an influenza HA protein; and a trimerization domain. Disclosed are compositions comprising one or more of the peptides described herein. Disclosed are nucleic acid sequences capable of encoding any one of the peptides described herein. Disclosed are methods for eliciting a protective immune response against influenza comprising administering to a subject an effective amount of a composition comprising a monomeric Fc fragment of an immunoglobulin recognized by a FcRn; an influenza HA protein; and a trimerization domain, wherein the administering is to a mucosal epithelium. Disclosed are methods of treating a subject exposed to influenza or at risk of being exposed to influenza comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising a monomeric Fc fragment of an immunoglobulin recognized by a FcRn; an influenza HA protein; and a trimerization domain, wherein the administering is to a mucosal epithelium.

The present invention includes compositions and methods for the expression, secretion and use of novel compositions for use as, e.g., vaccines and antigen delivery vectors, to delivery antigens to antigen presenting cells. In one embodiment, the vector is an anti-CD40 antibody, or fragments thereof, and one or more antigenic peptides linked to the anti-CD40 antibody or fragments thereof, including humanized antibodies.

The present invention provides, among other things, methods, reagents, and systems for the treatment, detection, analysis, and/or characterization of influenza infections.

The present specification discloses recombinant nucleic acid constructs encoding an immunogenic multiepitope polypeptide comprising two or more polypeptides, recombinant nucleic acid constructs encoding at least two epitopes from two or more internal proteins of influenza virus, compositions comprising such recombinant nucleic acid constructs and methods of eliciting a T cell immune response against an influenza virus in a vertebrate using such recombinant nucleic acid constructs and compositions.

Self-assembling, cytocompatible peptides having the ability to form uniform nanorod assemblies are described. These peptides comprise a self-assembling β-sheet peptide and an amino terminal positively charged amino acid or amino acid analog, such as a lysine residue. Constructs comprising an antigen covalently attached to the self-assembling peptide are also disclosed, as well as the use of such constructs as vaccines for inducing an immune response against the antigen.