Abstract: Anti-peptide monoclonal antibodies (MAb's) specific for Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) are used for rapid diagnostic identification between poultry infected with vaccine strains of NDV (LaSota/B1) and END virus (ENDV). Exotic Newcastle Disease is a contagious and fatal viral disease of birds and poultry. The present invention provides for diagnostic detection of ENDV in commercial poultry.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biomass which comprises avian embryonic particles having a particle size of about 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm and the use thereof in a method for the production of virus antigens. Also provided is a method for the preparation of a vaccine useful for the amelioration and prevention of viral disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the generation of replication-competent viruses having therapeutic utility. The replication-competent viruses of the invention can express proteins useful in the treatment of disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an epitope of HN protein in Newcastle disease virus which can be recognized by an avian immune system and an antibody against the epitope, a method for detecting a Newcastle disease virus by using the antibody, and an antigenic variant of Newcastle disease virus carrying changes in the epitope. The epitope of HN protein and the antigenic variant of Newcastle disease virus can be used for developing efficient vaccines, and further, in diagnosing the Newcastle disease virus rapidly and exactly.

Abstract: The invention relates to the process for generating infectious Newcastle disease virus (NDV) entirely from cloned full-length cDNA and to the use of vaccines and diagnostic assays generated with and derived from said process. The process offers the possibility to modify the NDV genome by means of genetic modification and allows the introduction of mutations, deletions and/or insertions. The process can be used to modify the virulence of NDV, thereby generating new attenuated live vaccines with enhanced properties. The process can be used to modify the antigenic make-up of NDV, thus allowing the generation of live NDV marker vaccines which can be serologically distinguished from NDV field strains.

Abstract: This invention provides a dry powder composition for poultry vaccination via inhalation comprising an effective amount of a poultry vaccine agent, and a supporting amount of carriers for said poultry vaccine agent, said carriers comprising a combination of a reducing or non-reducing sugar and a biocompatible polymer, said dry powder composition being in the form of particles having an average particle size from 2 to 30 ?m and a particle size polydispersity from 1.1 to 4.0. This invention also relates to a method for producing said dry powder compositions and a system for vaccination of poultry by inhalation.

Abstract: The inventions is drawn towards vectors and methods useful for preparing genetically transformed plant cells that express immunogens from pathogenic organisms which are used to produce immunoprotective particles useful in vaccine preparations. The invention includes plant optimized genes that encode the HN protein of Newcastle Disease Virus. The invention also relates to methods of producing an antigen in a transgenic plant.

Abstract: This invention relates to genetically engineered Newcastle disease viruses and viral vectors which express heterologous genes or mutated Newcastle disease viral genes or a combination of viral genes derived from different strains of Newcastle disease virus. The invention relates to the construction and use of recombinant negative strand NDV viral RNA templates which may be used with viral RNA-directed RNA polymerase to express heterologous gene products in appropriate host cells and/or to rescue the heterologous gene in virus particles. In a specific embodiment of the invention, the heterologous gene product is a peptide or protein derived from the genome of a human immunodeficiency virus. The RNA templates of the present invention may be prepared by transcription of appropriate DNA sequences using any DNA-directed RNA polymerase such as bacteriophage T7, T3, SP6 polymerase, or eukaryotic polymerase I.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for generating infectious Newcastle disease virus (NDV) entirely from cloned full-length cDNA and to the use of vaccines and diagnostic assays generated with and derived from the process. The process offers the possibility to modify the NDV genome by means of genetic modification and allows for the introduction of mutations, deletions and/or insertions. The process can be used to modify the virulence of NDV, thus generating new attenuated live vaccines with enhanced properties. The process can be used to modify the antigenic make-up of NDV, to allow the generation of live NDV marker vaccines that can be serologically distinguished from NDV field strains.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stable compacted, compressed or hard tableted injectable composition, including a vaccine composition comprising at least one freeze dried antigenic component and a dissolution aid. A package containing the above injectable composition and method to facilitate immunizing a subject against a disease comprising the steps of first dissolving the compacted, compressed or hard tableted vaccine composition in a package with a diluent to form a vaccine solution, and administering the resulting vaccine solution in an amount effective for immunizing is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a NDV mutant that is suited as a marker vaccine strain. The NDV mutant is not able to express an immunodominant epitope of the nucleoprotein (NP).

Abstract: A vaccine against Newcastle Disease contains one or more mutant immunogens of the NDW strain. The mutant immunogen lacks the antigenic binding site on the F glycoprotein which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody mAb 54. Reagent kits and assay methods help to distinguish vaccinated members of a poultry flock from those that may have been infected with wild-type Newcastle Disease virus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vaccine accelerator factor (VAF) which is an in ovo nucleotide immuno-stimulant. The VAF contains one or more DNA constructs, each having a DNA molecule and a vector. Each of the DNA molecule contains one or more genes or gene fragments, each encoding an antigenic peptide of an avian virus. The VAF is preferably administered to the amniotic fluid of an egg after being fertilized for about 17–19 days. The VAF can be co-administered with a viral vaccine containing one or more attenuated or inactive avian viruses. Alternatively, the VAF can be administered prior to the administration of the viral vaccine, which is administered at hatch or post-hatch. The VAF stimulates and accelerate a protective immune response of a viral vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences encoding the nucleocapsid (NP) protein and phosphoprotein (P) of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and the production of the corresponding proteins with recombinant plasmids bearing the nucleotide sequences in Escherichia coli.

Abstract: An immunogenic preparation or vaccine against avian pneumovirosis, comprising an antigen of the avian pneumovirus strain C990427, in a vehicle or excipient which is acceptable from the veterinary point of view and, optionally, an adjuvant.

Abstract: A vaccine against Newcastle Disease contains one or more mutant immunogens of the NDW strain. The mutant immunogen lacks the antigenic binding site on the F glycoprotein which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody mAb 54. Reagent kits and assay methods help to distinguish vaccinated members of a poultry flock from those that may have been infected with wild-type Newcastle Disease virus.

Abstract: A vaccine against Newcastle Disease contains one or more mutant immunogens of the NDW strain. The mutant immunogen lacks the antigenic binding site on the F glycoprotein which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody mAb 54. Reagent kits and assay methods help to distinguish vaccinated members of a poultry flock from those that may have been infected with wild-type Newcastle Disease virus.

Abstract: The invention relates to the process for generating infectious Newcastle disease virus (NDV) entirely from cloned full-length cDNA and to the use of vaccines and diagnostic assays generated with and derived from the process. The process offers the possibility to modify the NDV genome by means of genetic modification and allows the introduction of mutations, deletions and/or insertions. The process can be used to modify the antigenic makeup of NDV, thus allowing the generation of live NDV marker vaccines which can be serologically distinguished from NDV field strains.

Abstract: The present invention provides a NDV mutant which is suited as vaccine candidate for in ovo vaccination. The mutant expresses reduced levels of V protein and can safely be administered to chicken embryos before hatch.

Abstract: A biologically-active material comprising a live virus or mycoplasma is preserved by a method of desiccation, without lyophilisation, in a matrix of glassy trehalose having a residual moisture content of not greater than 2%. The method comprises two vacuum drying stages. In a cycle time much shorter than a typical freeze drying process a virus or mycoplasma can be preserved to provide a material that can be rehydrated to give a vaccine having potency.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an antigenomic RNA of Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) carrying one or more foreign genes inserted before NP gene, between P and M genes, and/or between HN and L genes. The invention is also directed toward a cDNA encoding a recombinant antigenomic RNA having one or more foreign genes inserted according to the invention, a cell containing the cDNA, a plasmid comprising the cDNA, a cell containing the plasmid, a cell containing the recombinant antigenomic RNA, and a recombinant NDV containing the recombinant antigenomic RNA of the invention, such as a recombinant NDV carrying one or more foreign genes recovered from transcription of the cDNA or the plasmid in a competent cell. The recombinant NDV carrying the one or more foreign genes can be used as a vaccine or vaccine vector.

Abstract: The present invention relates methods of generating infectious negative-strand virus in host cells by an entirely vector-based system without the aid of a helper virus. In particular, the present invention relates methods of generating infectious recombinant negative-strand RNA viruses intracellularly in the absence of helper virus from expression vectors comprising cDNAs encoding the viral proteins necessary to form ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) and expression vectors comprising cDNA for genomic viral RNA(s) (vRNAs) or the corresponding cRNA(s). The present invention also relates to methods of generating infectious recombinant negative-strand RNA viruses which have mutations in viral genes and/or which express, package and/or present peptides or polypeptides encoded by heterologous nucleic acid sequences.

Abstract: A composition for treating or preventing virus-induced infections is described, along with a process of producing the composition and methods of the composition's use. The composition comprises viral pathogen-infected cell or tissue, or malignantly or immunologically aberrant cells or tissues which has been reduced and/or denatured. The preferred composition is administered across a mucosal surface of an animal suffering or about suffer from infection. The composition is administered as preventive or therapeutic vaccine.

Abstract: The invention relates to the process for generating infectious Newcastle disease virus (NDV) entirely from cloned full-length cDNA and to the use of vaccines and diagnostic assays generated with and derived from said process. The process offers the possibility to modify the NDV genome by means of genetic modification and allows the introduction of mutations, deletions and/or insertions. The process can be used to modify the antigenic make-up of NDV, thus allowing the generation of live NDV marker vaccines which can be serologically distinguished from NDV field strains.

Abstract: This invention relates to genetically engineered Newcastle disease viruses and viral vectors which express heterologous genes or mutated Newcastle disease viral genes or a combination of viral genes derived from different strains of Newcastle disease virus. The invention relates to the construction and use of recombinant negative strand NDV viral RNA templates which may be used with viral RNA-directed RNA polymerase to express heterologous gene products in appropriate host cells and/or to rescue the heterologous gene in virus particles. In a specific embodiment of the invention, the heterologous gene product is a peptide or protein derived from the genome of a human immunodeficiency virus. The RNA templates of the present invention may be prepared by transcription of appropriate DNA sequences using any DNA-directed RNA polymerase such as bacteriophage T7, T3, SP6 polymerase, or eukaryotic polymerase I.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stable compacted, compressed or hard tableted vaccine composition comprising at least one freeze dried antigenic component and a dissolution aid. A method to facilitate immunizing a subject against a disease comprising the steps of first dissolving the compacted, compressed or hard tableted vaccine composition in a package with a diluent to form a vaccine solution, and administering the resulting vaccine solution in an amount effective for immunizing is also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and pharmaceutical formulations for administering vaccines to birds. In preferred embodiments, the invention provides methods of administering live pathogenic virus vaccines to birds in ovo, more preferably, during the last quarter of in ovo incubation. Interferon, more preferably, Type I interferon, may be advantageously administered in conjunction with live virus vaccines to decrease the pathogenicity thereof. Interferon must be provided at doses sufficient to protect against pathogenicity of the live vaccine, but not at doses so high as to prevent the host from mounting an active immune response. Further provided are pharmaceutical formulations comprising effective doses of live vaccine and interferon. Finally, the present invention provides methods of administering interferon together with live vaccines to young avians to effectively overcome the interfering effects of maternal antibodies.

Abstract: The present invention provides an attenuated ILT virus that is able to induce protection against ILT in chickens. The new vaccine strain is not able to express the native ULO protein of ILTV. The new ILTV vaccine virus can also be used as a vector for genes of other avian pathogens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mammalian cell lines which efficiently support the growth and productive infection of Marek's Disease Virus at high titers. The present invention also relates to mammalian cell lines which have been engineered to support the growth and productive infection of recombinant Marek's Disease Virus at high titers. The present invention relates a process for the preparation of Marek's Disease Virus in quantities suitable for vaccine purposes.

Abstract: An avian plasmid vaccine contains a plasmid, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The plasmid contains and expresses in vivo in an avian host cell a nucleic acid molecule having a sequence encoding the Newcastle disease virus HN protein. The plasmid can further contain and express in vivo in an avian host cell a nucleic acid molecule having a sequence encoding the Newcastle disease virus F protein.

Abstract: This invention relates to genetically engineered Newcastle disease viruses and viral vectors which express heterologous genes or mutated Newcastle disease viral genes or a combination of viral genes derived from different strains of Newcastle disease virus. The invention relates to the construction and use of recombinant negative strand NDV viral RNA templates which may be used with viral RNA-directed RNA polymerase to express heterologous gene products in appropriate host cells and/or to rescue the heterologous gene in virus particles. In a specific embodiment of the invention, the heterologous gene product is a peptide or protein derived from the genome of a human immunodeficiency virus. The RNA templates of the present invention may be prepared by transcription of appropriate DNA sequences using any DNA-directed RNA polymerase such as bacteriophage T7, T3, SP6 polymerase, or eukaryotic polymerase I.

Abstract: A multivalent poultry vaccine is provided having two or more live biological agents or microbial components. Each live biological agent or microbial component is effective in preventing or treating an avian disease, and the multivalent vaccine is safe and effective for immunizing poultry in ovo. Methods are also provided for vaccinating poultry by administering such a multivalent vaccine in ovo.

Abstract: The avian vaccine formula comprises at least three polynucleotide vaccine valencies each comprising a plasmid integrating, so as to express it in vivo in the host cells, a gene with one avian pathogen valency, these valencies being selected from the group consisting of Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious bursal disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus, infectious anaemia virus, the plasmids comprising, for each valency, one or more of the genes selected from the group consisting of gB and gD for the Marek's disease virus, HN and F for the Newcastle disease virus, VP2 for the infectious bursal disease virus, S, M and N for the infectious bronchitis virus, C+NS1 for the infectious anaemia virus.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a vaccine for in ovo vaccination of poultry against Newcastle Disease Infections. This vaccine contains Newcastle Disease Viruses of the strain with the internal indication NDW, deposited at CNCM (Institut Pasteur) under number I-781.

Abstract: Vaccine adjuvants comprising a liquid medium contain polymers with anionic constitutive repeating units and hydrophobic constitutive repeating units. Advantageously, the adjuvants are aqueous solutions of partially esterified polyacrylic acids. The novel adjuvants are highly stable, effective and have a relatively low level of local toxicity. Further, vaccines comprising such adjuvants and a process for producing them are described.

Abstract: A method of producing active immunity against a viral disease in an animal subject comprises administering to the subject a vaccine conjugate consisting essentially of a live virus and a neutralizing factor bound to the live virus. The neutralizing factor is selected from the group consisting of antibodies and antibody fragments. The live virus is one capable of producing disease in the subject, and the antibody or antibody fragment is one capable of neutralizing the live virus. Preferred subjects are birds, a preferred virus is Infectious Bursal Disease Virus, and a preferred route of administration to birds is by in ovo administration.