Abstract: The invention concerns a modified recombinant foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) VP2 protein and further concerns an FMDV capsid precursor protein P1 comprising the modified VP2 protein. In a specific aspect, the present invention concerns a VP2 protein or a capsid precursor protein P1 comprising the VP2 protein, wherein the amino acid sequence of the VP2 protein is modified to improve the stability of FMDV capsids. The invention further relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule and an expression vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule for recombinant expression of the modified VP2 protein or a capsid precursor protein P1 comprising the VP2 protein. In further aspects, the invention relates to a virus-like particle (VLP) obtained from the modified capsid precursor protein P1 and a vaccine for use in the protection of a subject against an infection with FMDV produced from the VLP.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsid precursor protein comprising a modified VP1 protein and optionally further comprising a modified VP4 protein. The invention further relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule and an expression vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule for recombinant expression of the modified capsid precursor protein. In further aspects, the invention relates to a virus-like particle (VLP) obtained from the modified capsid precursor protein and a vaccine for use in the protection of a subject against an infection with FMDV produced from the VLP.

Abstract: The present invention provides an attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) virus which lacks a functional version of the following genes: multigene-family 360 genes 9L, 10L, 11L, 12L, 13L and 14L; and multigene-family 505 genes 1R, 2R, 3R and 4R. The invention further provides an attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) virus which Lacks a functional version of the DP148R gene. The present invention also provides a vaccine comprising such an attenuated virus and its use to prevent ASF. Further, the invention relates to intranasal administration of an attenuated ASF virus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant Gallid herpesvirus 3 vector encoding heterologous avian pathogen antigens comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotide(s) inserted into the intergenic loci UL3/UL4 and/or UL21/UL22. The invention further relates to vaccines comprising said recombinant Gallid herpesvirus 3 vector and optionally a further Marek's disease virus vector and to a use of the vaccine for protecting an avian species against one or more avian pathogens. Further methods for treating an avian species for protection against one or more diseases caused by avian pathogens and a method for producing the recombinant Gallid herpesvirus 3 vector encoding heterologous avian pathogen antigens is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a live, attenuated coronavirus comprising a mutation in non-structural protein nsp-3 and/or deletion of accessory proteins 3a and 3b. The coronavirus may be used as a vaccine for treating and/or preventing a disease, such as infectious bronchitis, in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides immunogens comprising a recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) F protein stabilized in a prefusion conformation and nucleic acids encoding such immunogens. In particular the present invention provides polypeptides, polynucleotides, compositions, and uses thereof for eliciting an immune response to bovine respiratory syncytial virus (bRSV). Methods for generating an immune response in a subject are also disclosed. In some embodiments, the method is a method for treating or preventing a RSV infection in a subject by administering a therapeutically effective amount of the antigen to the subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the stabilisation of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsids, by specific substitution of amino acids in a specific region of FMDV VP2. The invention provides stabilised FMDV capsids and vaccines against FMD.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant Gallid herpesvirus 3 vector encoding heterologous avian pathogen antigens comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotide(s) inserted into the intergenic loci UL3/UL4 and/or UL21/UL22. The invention further relates to vaccines comprising said recombinant Gallid herpesvirus 3 vector and optionally a further Marek's disease virus vector and to a use of the vaccine for protecting an avian species against one or more avian pathogens. Further methods for treating an avian species for protection against one or more diseases caused by avian pathogens and a method for producing the recombinant Gallid herpesvirus 3 vector encoding heterologous avian pathogen antigens is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) virus which lacks a functional version of the following genes: multigene-family 360 genes 9L, 10L, 11L, 12L, 13L and 14L; and multigene-family 505 genes 1R, 2R, 3R and 4R. The invention further provides an attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) virus which lacks a functional version of the DP148R gene. The present invention also provides a vaccine comprising such an attenuated virus and its use to prevent ASF. Further, the invention relates to intranasal administration of an attenuated ASF virus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the stabilization of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsids, by specific substitution of amino acids in a specific region of FMDV VP2. The invention provides stabilized FMDV capsids and vaccines against FMD.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the stabilisation of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsids, by specific substitution of amino acids in a specific region of FMDV VP2. The invention provides stabilised FMDV capsids and vaccines against FMD.

Abstract: The present Invention provides as avian cell in which the expression or activity of one or more of the following genes, or a homologue thereof: Chicken IFITM 1 (SEQ ID No. 1); Chicken IFITM2 (SEQ ID No. 2) and Chicken IFITM3 (SEQ ID No. 3) is reduced. The invention also provides methods for passaging viruses in avian cells, embryos and/or avian cell lines which have reduced expression of one or more IFITM genes and methods which involve investigating the sequence of one or more of the following genes, or a homologue thereof: Chicken IFITM1 (SEQ ID No. 1); Chicken IFITM2 (SEQ ID No. 2) and Chicken IFITM3 (SEQ ID No. 3).

Abstract: The present invention provides a live, attenuated coronavirus comprising a variant replicase gene encoding polyproteins comprising a mutation in one or more of non-structural protein(s) (nsp)-10, nsp-14, nsp-15 or nsp-16. The coronavirus may be used as a vaccine for treating and/or preventing a disease, such as infectious bronchitis, in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides an infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) spike protein (S protein) which is based on an S protein from an IBV strain with restricted tissue tropism, but which comprises the sequence XBBXBX in the part of the S2 protein corresponding to residues 686 to 691 of the sequence given as SEQ ID No. 2, where B is a basic residue and X is any amino acid; and which comprises at least one of the following amino acid substitutions with reference to the position numbering of SEQ ID NO:2: Leucine (L) to Phenylalanine (F) at position 578 Asparagine (N) to Serine (S) at position 617 Asparagine (N) to Serine (S) at position 826 Leucine (L) to Phenylalanine (F) at position 857 and Isoleucine (I) to Valine (V) at position 1000 such that an IBV virus comprising the S protein has extended tissue tropism. The present invention also provides a virus comprising such an S protein.

Abstract: The present invention provides an attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) virus which lacks a functional version of the following genes: multigene-family 360 genes 9L, 10L, 11L, 12L, 13L and 14L; and multigene-family 505 genes 1R, 2R, 3R and 4R. The invention further provides an attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) virus which lacks a functional version of the DP148R gene. The present invention also provides a vaccine comprising such an attenuated virus and its use to prevent ASF. Further, the invention relates to intranasal administration of an attenuated ASF virus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a foot-and-mouth diseases virus (FMDV) VP1 capsid protein which comprises an entity of interest (EOI). The EOI sequence may, for example, be an epitope tag, an immunomodulatory molecule or a target molecule. The present invention also provides an FMDV vaccine which comprises such a VP1 capsid protein and its use to prevent FMD.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the stabilisation of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsids, by specific substitution of amino acids in a specific region of FMDV VP2. The invention provides stabilised FMDV capsids and vaccines against FMD.

Abstract: The present invention provides a construct which, when expressed in a host cell, is capable of producing empty virus capsids, the construct comprising: (i) a nucleotide sequence encoding a capsid precursor protein; (ii) a nucleotide sequence encoding a protease capable of cleaving the capsid precursor protein; and (iii) a control element which controls the expression of the protease such that, when the construct is present in the host cell, the control element causes the protease to be expressed at a level sufficient to cleave the capsid precursor protein, but not sufficient to induce significant toxicity in the host cell. The invention also provides a vector and a host cell comprising such a construct and their use to generate empty virus capsids.

Abstract: The present invention provides a foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus having improved stability compared to the field isolate of the same subtype, wherein the virus comprises one or more amino acid mutations along a line of symmetry of the capsid structure. The present invention also relates to a vaccine comprising such an FMD virus and its use to prevent foot and mouth disease.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chimaeric coronavirus S protein which is based on an S protein from a coronavirus strain with restricted tissue tropism, but which comprises at least part of the S2 subunit from a coronavirus strain with extended tissue tropism, such that a virus comprising the chimaeric S protein has extended tissue tropism. The present invention also provides a virus comprising such a chimaeric S protein.