"Virus-Like Particles And Methods Of Use" in Patent Application Approval Process (USPTO 20230295242).

The immunogenic composition of claim 2, wherein the one or more alterations in a charged amino acid residue in the NLS of the EEEV, WEEV, and VEEV capsid proteins is in: a. amino acids 67-70 of the EEEV capsid protein; b. amino acids 67-70 of the WEEV capsid protein; and c. amino acids 64-68 of the VEEV capsid protein. In some cases, expression of wild-type alphavirus proteins does not produce VLPs, such as EEEV and WEEV CBA, and one or more alterations in one or more of an alphavirus E2 protein or an alphavirus capsid protein Nuclear Localization Signal (NLS) allows or enhances VLP production. As reported in detail below, an alphavirus VLP-based vaccine efficiently induced high-titer neutralizing antibodies against homologous and heterologous alphavirus strains in monkeys, and the immunized animals showed complete protection against a high titer of a heterologous alphavirus strain in a challenge study. [Extracted from the article]