A liquid or liquid-frozen composition comprising: a modified vaccinia Ankara(MVA) virus or variant orderiva-tive thereof and mannitol, wherein mannitol is the sole stabilizationagent of the composition. The mannitol may provide astabi-lizing effect at 0 to +10°C or in a liquid-frozen composition,for example between -10°C and -30°C or between -20°C and -23.5°C.The MVA may be used as a vaccine or for use in gene therapy, virotherapy,immunotherapy, or cancer therapy in a mammal,preferably a human.