The invention relates to a virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine. The virus-like particle constitutes a non-naturally occurring, ordered and repetitive antigen array display scaffold which can obtain a strong and long-lasting immune response in a subject. The VLP-based vaccine may be used for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of a disease including, but is not limited to, cancer, cardiovascular, infectious, chronic, neurological diseases/disorders, asthma, and/or immune-inflammatory diseases/disorders.

The invention relates to a virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine. The virus-like particle constitutes a non-naturally occurring, ordered and repetitive antigen array display scaffold which can obtain a strong and long-lasting immune response in a subject. The VLP-based vaccine may be used for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of a disease including, but is not limited to, cancer, cardiovascular, infectious, chronic, neurological diseases/disorders, asthma, and/or immune-inflammatory diseases/disorders.

A melt processed viral nanoparticle construct for delivery of virus or virus-like particles to a site of interest includes a degradable polymer matrix and a plurality of virus or virus-like particles encapsulated within the degradable polymer matrix. The nanoparticle construct upon administration to the site of interest providing a sustained release of the virus or virus-like particles and/or nanoparticles upon degradation of the polymer matrix.

Bivalent immunogenic compositions against anthrax and plague are disclosed herein. One bivalent immunogenic composition comprises a triple fusion protein containing three antigens, F1 and V from Yersinia pestis and PA antigen from Bacillus anthracis fused in-frame and retaining structural and functional integrity of all three antigens. Another bivalent immunogenic composition comprises bacteriophage nanoparticles arrayed with these three antigens on the capsid surface of the bacteriophage nanoparticles. These bivalent immunogenic compositions are able to elicit robust immune response in a subject administered said the bivalent immunogenic compositions and provide protection to the subject against sequential or simultaneous challenge with both anthrax and plague pathogens.

Engineered bacteriophage and methods of forming the bacteriophage are described. Multivalent bacteriophage are described that can include multiple different exogenous polypeptides at a surface of the capsid head. Vaccines and methods of forming and using vaccines are described. A vaccine can include an engineered bacteriophage that exhibits an immunogenic exogenous polypeptide at a surface of the bacteriophage. Multivalent bacteriophage and immunogenic bacteriophage are free of nucleic acids encoding the exogenous polypeptide(s).

The present invention is directed to isolated bacteriophages having specificity and lytic activity against strains of Campylobacter species, methods of using the bacteriophages, progeny and derivatives derived therefrom, to control the growth of Campylobacter species in various settings (e.g., food safety, sanitation, modulating microbiome, prebiotics, probiotics).

The present invention discloses an engineered bacteriophage capable of binding to a commensal bacterium and inserting its genome polynucleotide into the commensal bacterium, but incapable of producing progeny, incapable of carrying out a lysogenic cycle and incapable of carrying out a lytic cycle within the commensal bacterium, wherein the engineered bacteriophage comprises a genome polynucleotide including at least one gene encoding at least one heterologous antigen(s) under the control of a promoter.

Engineered bacteriophage and methods of forming the bacteriophage are described. Multivalent bacteriophage are described that can include multiple different exogenous polypeptides at a surface of the capsid head. Vaccines and methods of forming and using vaccines are described. A vaccine can include an engineered bacteriophage that exhibits an immunogenic exogenous polypeptide at a surface of the bacteriophage. Multivalent bacteriophage and immunogenic bacteriophage are free of nucleic acids encoding the exogenous polypeptide(s).

In alternative embodiments, provided are compositions, products of manufacture and methods for treating, ameliorating and preventing infections, disorders and conditions in animals including: delivering a (i) bacteriophage (ii) prophage, the phagemid or phage-like particle, (iii) general transducing agent (GTA), or small, tailed bacteriophage-like particle, (iv) Metamorphosis Associated Contractile structure (MACs) or (v) phage-derived product into a tissue, or the blood stream or lymphatic system of the animal, e.g., the mammal; or delivering to a tissue or organ of the animal; or treating a bacterial or viral infection in the animal; generating an immune response in the animal; or treating a disease or condition in an individual in need thereof; or delivering a payload or a composition, e.g., in vivo, to the animal, or labelling, tagging or coating a cell in vivo in the animal.

Certain embodiments are directed to composition for inducing an immune response against xCT that is directed to cancer stem cells expressing xCT.