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 invention relates to a recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae comprising an expressible polynucleotide encoding at least one of (i) a tumor antigen, (ii) a fragment of a tumor antigen, and (iii) a variant of (i) or (ii). The present invention further relates to a polynucleotide encoding said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae and to a host cell comprising said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae and/or said polynucleotide encoding said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for activating immune cells with antitumor activity in a sample comprising cancer cells and to further means, methods, and uses related to the present invention.

The invention provides engineered RNA precursors that when expressed in a cell are processed by the cell to produce targeted small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that selectively silence targeted genes (by cleaving specific mRNAs) using the cell's own RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. By introducing nucleic acid molecules that encode these engineered RNA precursors into cells in vivo with appropriate regulatory sequences, expression of the engineered RNA precursors can be selectively controlled both temporally and spatially, i.e., at particular times and/or in particular tissues, organs, or cells.

The invention provides compositions and methods for treating neuropathic pain. Specifically, the disclosure provides a polynucleotide comprising a trigeminal ganglion (TGG) or dorsal root ganglion (DRG) promoter operably linked to a recombinant nucleic acid encoding an endonuclease that binds to a nucleotide sequence in the human colony stimulating factor 1 (hCSF1) gene and a method of using the polynucleotide or a vector comprising the polynucleotide for treatment of neuropathic pain.

The present invention is directed to small interfering RNA molecules (siRNA) targeted against nucleic acid sequence that encodes huntingtin or ataxin-1, and methods of using these siRNA molecules.

A novel class or family of TGF-β binding proteins is disclosed. Also disclosed are assays for selecting molecules for increasing bone mineralization and methods for utilizing such molecules.

The invention provides methods for enhancing the delivery of viral vectors to the eye of a subject by administering a proteasome inhibitor or and a viral vector ending a gene of interest to the eye.

The present invention relates to a recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae comprising an expressible polynucleotide encoding at least one of (i) a tumor antigen, (ii) a fragment of a tumor antigen, and (iii) a variant of (i) or (ii). The present invention further relates to a polynucleotide encoding said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae and to a host cell comprising said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae and/or said polynucleotide encoding said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for activating immune cells with antitumor activity in a sample comprising cancer cells and to further means, methods, and uses related to the present invention.

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 application describes a method of regenerating nerve, which steps include generating a recombinant viral or plasmid vector comprising a DNA sequence encoding a member of a transforming growth factor superfamily of proteins operatively linked to a promoter; transfecting in vitro a population of cultured cells with the recombinant vector, resulting in a population of the cultured cells; and transplanting the transfected cells to an area near an injured nerve, such that expression of the DNA sequence within the area near the injured nerve causes regeneration of the nerve.