Abstract: The use of macrolide polyene antibiotics or derivatives or analogues thereof as culture supplement for the propagation of virus is described. Further pharmaceutical compositions comprising a virus and a macrolide polyene antibiotic or a derivative or analogue thereof and methods for using of macrolide polyene antibiotics for transfection and infection of cells as well as the use of macrolide polyene antibiotics for the isolation of virus from clinical samples are disclosed.

Abstract: A process for the purification of influenza virus or derivative thereof comprising the steps of: providing a source having influenza virus or derivative thereof; optionally subjecting the source to a prepurification step; followed by at least one chromatographic step on chromatographic materials selected from the group consisting of porous particles having mean pore sizes of at least 20 nm, perfusion particles, gel-in-a-shell particles, tentacle like particles, membrane adsorbers, and monoliths; collecting eluting influenza virus or derivatives thereof containing fractions with the proviso that sulfuric ester of cellulose or cross-linked polysaccharides are excluded.

Abstract: The use of macrolide polyene antibiotics or derivatives or analogues thereof as culture supplement for the propagation of virus is described. Further pharmaceutical compositions comprising a virus and a macrolide polyene antibiotic or a derivative or analogue thereof and methods for using of macrolide polyene antibiotics for transfection and infection of cells as well as the use of macrolide poylene antibiotics for the isolation of virus from clinical samples are disclosed.