Abstract: The method of the invention for preparing a treatment product is characterized by using a starting plasmid based on a virus belonging to the Togaviridae stock from which the genes encoding capsid proteins of the virus have been deleted. An RNA encoding virus-like particles (VLP-RNA) is prepared by manipulating the staring plasmid by connecting to it a spreading enabling gene and a treatment gene. The invention is furthermore concerned with such a treatment product and a plasmid construct encoding virus-like particles, which is prepared from the Sindbis virus in which the capsid protein of the virus has been substituted by a spreading enabling gene and a treatment gene. Example of spreading enabling gene is a gene encoding vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G).

Abstract: This invention provides a Togavirus-amplified retrovirus vector and a novel method for packaging a retrovirus cassette that contains a heterologous nucleic acid, which is amplified in a packaging cell cytoplasm by a Togavirus vector. The retroviral cassette is packaged into infectious retrovirus particles by retroviral packaging cells. These retroviral particles carrying the retroviral packaging cassette are then used to infect host cells.

Abstract: This invention provides a Togavirus-amplified retrovirus vector and a novel method for packaging a retrovirus cassette that contains a heterologous nucleic acid, which is amplified in a packaging cell cytoplasm by a Togavirus vector. The retroviral cassette is packaged into infectious retrovirus particles by retroviral packaging cells. These retroviral particles carrying the retroviral packaging cassette are then used to infect host cells.