Alma Mater Studiorum-Universitá Di Bologna

Nouscom Ag

Maria Gabriella Campadelli

Alfredo Nicosia

Biljana Petrovic

Valentina Gatta

Valerio Leoni

The present invention is directed to a recombinant herpesvirus comprising a heterologous polypeptide ligand capable of binding to a target molecule and fused to or inserted into glycoprotein B at specific sites. The herpesvirus may comprise more than one ligand, and the additional ligand(s) may be comprised by a modified glycoprotein D and/or modified glycoprotein H. This allows the herpesvirus to target a cell for therapeutic purposes, and a cell for virus production. The present invention further comprises a pharmaceutical composition comprising the herpesvirus, the herpesvirus for use in the treatment of a tumor, infection, degenerative disorder or senescence-associated disease, a nucleic acid and a vector coding for the gB, a polypeptide comprising the gB, and a cell comprising the herpesvirus, nucleic acid, vector or polypeptide. Moreover, a method for infecting a cell with the herpesvirus or for producing the herpesvirus is disclosed.

Herpesvirus with modified glycoprotein B

The present invention is directed to a recombinant herpesvirus comprising a heterologous peptide and optionally polypeptide ligand capable of binding to (a) target molecule(s) and fused to or inserted into glycoprotein D. The recombinant herpesvirus may additionally comprise modifications for detargeting the virus from the natural receptors of gD. This allows the herpesvirus to efficiently target a cell for therapeutic purposes and a cell for virus production. The present invention further comprises a pharmaceutical composition comprising the herpesvirus, the herpesvirus for use in the treatment of a tumor, infection, degenerative disorder or senescence-associated disease, a nucleic acid and a vector coding for the gD, a polypeptide comprising the gD, and a cell comprising the herpesvirus, nucleic acid, vector or polypeptide. Moreover, a method for infecting a cell with the herpesvirus or for producing the herpesvirus is disclosed.

Herpesvirus with modified glycoprotein D

The present invention relates to the field of disease therapy. More specifically, it relates to a retargeted herpesvirus having a heterologous polypeptide fused to glycoprotein H, wherein the polypeptide targets diseased cells. It also relates to a nucleic acid comprising the genome of the herpesvirus of the invention, a vector comprising this nucleic acid and a cell comprising the nucleic acid or the vector. It further relates to killing cells using the herpesvirus of the invention and to methods for growing it in vitro.

Growing community of inventors

Bologna, Italy

Maria Gabriella Campadelli