Corona virus-like particles as tools for vaccination and therapy

摘要

The present invention provides virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from corona viruses which are modified in various ways, genomically or in their protein composition, thereby exposing at their surface various biological or target molecules and/or carrying within the particles molecules with biological activity which need to be protected or shielded and/or containing genomes from which parts of authentic coronavirus genes or sequences have been removed or altered or into which foreign genes or sequences have been incorporated. The VLPs can for example be used as systems for the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents in the body or can be used as vaccine or as antigen in diagnostic tests.