Methods of treating cancer including administering to a subject with cancer a pharmaceutical composition including an effective amount of a chimeric VSV virus are disclosed. The chimeric viruses are based on a VSV background where the VSV G protein is replaced with one or more heterologous viral glycoproteins. In the most preferred embodiment, the VSV G protein is replaced with the glycoprotein from Lassa virus or a functional fragment thereof. The resulting chimeric virus is an oncolytic virus that is attenuated and safe in the brain, yet still retains sufficient oncolytic activity to infect and destroy cancer cells such glioblastoma, and to generate an immune response against infected cancer cells. Methods of using chimeric viruses as a platform for immunization against other pathogenic microbes are also provided.

Methods of treating cancer including administering to a subject with cancer a pharmaceutical composition including an effective amount of a chimeric VSV virus are disclosed. The chimeric viruses are based on a VSV background where the VSV G protein is replaced with one or more heterologous viral glycoproteins. In the most preferred embodiment, the VSV G protein is replaced with the glycoprotein from Lassa virus or a functional fragment thereof. The resulting chimeric virus is an oncolytic virus that is attenuated and safe in the brain, yet still retains sufficient oncolytic activity to infect and destroy cancer cells such glioblastoma, and to generate an immune response against infected cancer cells. Methods of using chimeric viruses as a platform for immunization against other pathogenic microbes are also provided.

Methods of treating cancer including administering to a subject with cancer a pharmaceutical composition including an effective amount of a chimeric VSV virus are disclosed. The chimeric viruses are based on a VSV background where the VSV G protein is replaced with one or more heterologous viral glycoproteins. In the most preferred embodiment, the VSV G protein is replaced with the glycoprotein from Lassa virus or a functional fragment thereof. The resulting chimeric virus is an oncolytic virus that is attenuated and safe in the brain, yet still retains sufficient oncolytic activity to infect and destroy cancer cells such glioblastoma, and to generate an immune response against infected cancer cells. Methods of using chimeric viruses as a platform for immunization against other pathogenic microbes are also provided.

Methods of treating cancer including administering to a subject with cancer a pharmaceutical composition including an effective amount of a chimeric VSV virus are disclosed. The chimeric viruses are based on a VSV background where the VSV G protein is replaced with one or more heterologous viral glycoproteins. In the most preferred embodiment, the VSV G protein is replaced with the glycoprotein from Lassa virus or a functional fragment thereof. The resulting chimeric virus is an oncolytic virus that is attenuated and safe in the brain, yet still retains sufficient oncolytic activity to infect and destroy cancer cells such glioblastoma, and to generate an immune response against infected cancer cells. Methods of using chimeric viruses as a platform for immunization against other pathogenic microbes are also provided.

The invention relates to short RVG derived peptides for use in delivering therapeutic agents across the blood brain barrier and to target cells, for example those cells in the central nervous system. The invention provides method and compositions to treat diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, with therapeutic agents associated with targeting peptides.