Provided herein are variant adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid proteins having one or more modifications in amino acid sequence relative to a parental AAV capsid protein, which, when present in an AAV virion, confer increased infectivity of one or more types of retinal cells as compared to the infectivity of the retinal cells by an AAV virion comprising the unmodified parental AAV capsid protein. Also provided are recombinant AAV virions and pharmaceutical compositions thereof comprising a variant AAV capsid protein as described herein, methods of making these rAAV capsid proteins and virions, and methods for using these rAAV capsid proteins and virions in research and clinical practice, for example in, e.g., the delivery of nucleic acid sequences to one or more ceils of the retina for the treatment of retinal disorders and diseases.

Insecticidal toxins described herein are fused toxin peptides made up of a targeting domain fused to a toxin domain. The targeting peptide generates a specific association with mosquitoes by causing the fused toxin peptide to bind mosquitoes in a way that leads to the insecticidal activity. Transgenic plants described herein are mosquitocidal by expressing an insecticidal toxin protein in nectar that includes a targeting peptide to ensure specificity against mosquitoes. These transgenic plants serve as role models for safety, since they are non-crop plants and specific to one mosquito species.

Disclosed are new nucleic acid base-editing systems comprising fusion proteins comprising a) an RNA-programmable nucleic acid recognition module or other suitable nucleic acid recognition module, b) a light inducible reactive oxygen generator. Further disclosed are methods and kits to modify or mutagenize a target DNA region in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells or organisms.

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.

A method for producing genetically engineered immune cells, e.g. T cells, or iPSCs which uses an RNA-scaffold mediated base editing system. The method enables precise modifications to be made to the genome whilst minimizing the possibility of off-target effects, making the method particularly suitable for therapeutic applications.

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.

The present technology relates to the use of protein conjugates including a self-assembly and disassembly (SADA) polypeptide and a GD2-specific antigen binding domain for preventing or mitigating off-target tissue toxicity, such as brain, kidney, and/or myeloid damage, in a subject undergoing targeted alpha radioimmunotherapy. Also disclosed herein are pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT) methods that improve the durability of the anti-GD2-SADA conjugate anti-tumor response in vivo.

A pharmaceutical composition for enhancing radiation therapy, containing a fusion protein dimer is disclosed. The fusion protein dimer includes an IL-2 protein and a CD80 protein. A method of radiation therapy for cancer, using the composition is also disclosed. The composition for enhancing radiation therapy may increase the effect of radiation therapy in cancer treatment.

The present invention discloses immunogenic compositions including recombinant peptides and proteins comprising human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) antigens and immunogens, e.g., gp 120 protein peptides. In some aspects, the immunogenic composition comprises a secreted fusion protein comprising a soluble HIV viral antigen joined by in-frame fusion to a C-terminal portion of a collagen which is capable of self-trimerization to form a disulfide bond-linked trimeric fusion protein. In some aspects, the immunogenic compositions provided herein are useful for generating an immune response, e.g., for treating or preventing an HIV infection. In some aspects, the immunogenic compositions provided herein may be used in a vaccine composition, e.g., as part of a prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccine. Also provided herein are methods for producing the recombinant peptides and proteins, prophylactic, therapeutic, and/or diagnostic methods, and related kits.

The present disclosure relates to methods for enhancing the efficiency of therapies involving immune effector cells such as T cells engineered to express antigen receptors such as T cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). It is demonstrated herein that such antigen receptor-engineered immune effector cells, even when provided to a subject in sub-therapeutic amounts, are extremely effective in the treatment of cancer diseases, even those cancer diseases that are known to be difficult to treat with antigen receptor-engineered immune effector cells, such as solid tumors or cancers, if additionally target antigen for the antigen receptor is provided to the subject. Immune effector cells may be engineered ex vivo or in vitro and subsequently the immune effector cells may be administered to a subject in need of treatment, or immune effector cells may be engineered in vivo in a subject in need of treatment.