Coronavirus derived rna replicons and their use as vaccines

Abstract

A propagation-defective, replication-competent RNA replicon derived from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that comprises a polynucleotide sequence SEQ_ID 2 or a variant of SEQ_ID 2 having at least 80% identity, more preferably 85% identity, even more preferably at least 90% identity, and even more preferably 91% or 92% or 93% or 94% or 95% or 96% or 97% or 98% or even up to 99% identity with respect to the SEQ_ID 2 polynucleotide sequence, wherein the variant of SEQ_ID2 does not comprise sequences suitable for expressing an ORF8 protein, wherein the ORF8 protein is encoded by a gene having at least 80% identity to the sequence of SEQ_ID36, methods of preparation thereof and the use in vaccine compositions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.