A novel therapeutic HBV vaccine candidate induces strong polyfunctional cytotoxic T cell responses in mice

•Resolution of CHB requires the induction of vigorous cellular immune responses.•Yellow fever vaccine (YF17D) is safe, and can serve as potent viral vector for foreign antigens.•HBc is a relevant therapeutic target in CHB.•YF17D-vectored HBc might elicit more potent and particularly polyfunctional T cell responses compared with other vaccine modalities.