Patent ID: 7348014

Claim:
A poxviral particle, wherein the genome of said poxviral particle lacks the gene encoding a wild-type p14 protein and comprises a nucleic acid encoding a modified p14 protein, wherein said modified p14 protein comprises the deletion of at least one amino acid residue normally present in the wild-type p14 protein, within the region involved in the interaction with one or more native cellular receptors and in the formation of enveloped viral particles, wherein said modified p14 protein exhibits a reduced ability to bind to said one or more native cellular receptors and a reduced ability to produce EEV (Extracellular Enveloped Virus) particles, as compared to the corresponding wild-type p14 protein; wherein said modified p14 protein retains the ability to trimerize and to associate with a poxviral 21 kDA protein, wherein said modified p14 protein further comprises an heterologous ligand moiety inserted at its N-terminus, and wherein said poxviral particle is an IMV (Intracellular Mature Virus).