Patent ID: 7198935

Claim:
A method for producing pestivirus-like particles ex vivo comprising the steps of: providing a first nucleic acid sequence comprising a packaging competent genome from a retrovirus; providing a second nucleic acid sequence comprising a cDNA encoding core proteins from said retrovirus; providing a third nucleic acid sequence comprising a cDNA encoding a polyprotein comprising successively a pestivirus core protein, and a Erns protein and/or pestivirus E1 protein and/or a pestivirus E2 protein, and optionally a pestivirus p7 protein; transfecting host cells with said nucleic acid sequences and maintaining the transfected cells in culture for sufficient time to allow expression of the cDNAs to produce structural proteins from pestivirus and retrovirus; and allowing the structural proteins to form virus-like particles which do not include the pestivirus core protein.