It is an object of the present invention to provide an antibody that binds to a human PGE.sub.2 receptor subtype EP4 and inhibits the function of EP4, or a functional fragment thereof. It is another object of the present invention to provide a medicament comprising the aforementioned antibody or a functional fragment thereof. Mice were immunized with the human PGE.sub.2 receptor subtype EP4, and a monoclonal antibody that suppresses the intracellular cAMP level increase induced by EP4 was screened. In addition, the CDR sequences of the obtained monoclonal antibody were determined.

This invention pertains to methods and compositions for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions. More specifically, the invention relates to isolated molecules that can be used to diagnose and/or treat cardiovascular conditions including cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial infarction, stroke, arteriosclerosis, and heart failure.

The present invention is directed to a monoclonal antibody that recognizes human TSPAN8 in its native form. The invention is also directed to a hybridoma cell line that produces the monoclonal antibody, and exosome purification kits using the antibody.

The invention relates to the field of biomedical and pharmacological research, in particular in the field of immunology, allergies, cancers, bone diseases and autoimmune diseases. The invention is based on the recent finding that SWAP-70 dimerizes, that the dimerization takes place via a specific, largely unique and limited region of the protein, and that this dimerization is central to the function of the protein (and probably the stability thereof). The invention provides a screening method which makes it possible to identify new active ingredients which, by accumulating at the dimerization domain and inhibiting SWAP-70 activity, suppress the supporting function of SWAP-70 in tumorigenesis, tumor cell migration and invasion, bone-degrading osteoclast activity, and the allergic reaction, as well as in autoimmune diseases. The object is achieved by a method for identifying a substance which inhibits the activity of SWAP-70, wherein the method comprises the following: contacting at least one test substance with SWAP-70, detecting the degree of dimerization of SWAP-70, selecting a test substance which inhibits the dimerization of SWAP-70.

According to an artificial bioparticle characterized in that a leucine zipper is integrated in each N terminal of an MVP constituting a waist of a vault and a method of manufacturing an artificial bioparticle in which a leucine zipper gene is integrated and expressed in a side to be an N terminal of an MVP gene, a novel artificial bioparticle including a vault of which large internal space can effectively be made use of, which can be used as a nanocapsule applicable to a drug delivery system (DDS), and a method of manufacturing the same are provided.

The problem to be solved is to provide an anti-human MUC1 antibody Fab fragment that is expected to be useful in the diagnosis and/or treatment of a cancer, particularly, the diagnosis and/or treatment of breast cancer or bladder cancer, and a diagnosis approach and/or a treatment approach using a conjugate comprising the Fab fragment. The solution is an anti-human MUC1 antibody Fab fragment comprising a heavy chain fragment comprising a heavy chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 8 or 10, and a light chain comprising a light chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 12, and a conjugate comprising the Fab fragment.

The problem to be solved is to provide an anti-human MUC1 antibody Fab fragment that is expected to be useful in the diagnosis and/or treatment of a cancer, particularly, the diagnosis and/or treatment of breast cancer or bladder cancer, and a diagnosis approach and/or a treatment approach using a conjugate comprising the Fab fragment. The solution is an anti-human MUC1 antibody Fab fragment comprising a heavy chain fragment comprising a heavy chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 8 or 10, and a light chain comprising a light chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 12, and a conjugate comprising the Fab fragment.

The present invention relates to compositions forming a low viscosity mixture of: a) 20-50 wt. % of at least one diacyl glycerol; b) 20-54 wt. % of at least one phosphatidyl choline (PC); c) 5-15 wt. % of at least one biocompatible, organic mono-alcoholic solvent; d) 1 to 20 wt. % polar solvent e) 5 to 150 mg/ml of at least one peptide somatostatin receptor agonist comprising pasireotide; f) optionally at least one antioxidant; wherein the ratio of components a:b is in the range 40:60 to 54:46; wherein the pre-formulation forms, or is capable of forming, at least one liquid crystalline phase structure upon contact with excess aqueous fluid. The invention further relates to methods of treatment comprising administration of such compositions, and to pre-filled administration devices and kits containing the formulations.

Described herein is an immunogenic composition comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding two or more amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 50. Also described herein is an immunogenic composition comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding two or more amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 141 to 272. Also described herein is an immunogenic composition comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding two or more amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 273 to 322. Also described herein is an immunogenic composition comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding two or more amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 354 to 458.

According to some embodiments, a carrier for reducing a likelihood of a pathogen binding to cell structures of a host comprises a core, surface features extending from an exterior surface of the core, wherein the surface features are configured to bind to target areas of cell structures of the host to at least partially block the pathogen from binding to said target areas as a result of competitive inhibition, and a plurality of binding sites along the exterior surface, wherein the binding sites are configured to attract at least one portion of the pathogen, wherein the binding sites are recognizable by the pathogen and are able to be bound by the pathogen, thereby at least partially immobilizing the pathogen and reducing the likelihood of the pathogen binding to target areas of cell structures of the host.