A chimeric protein is disclosed for promoting repair and regeneration of neurons damaged by disease or physical injury wherein the chimeric protein is a combination of a first polypeptide possessing matrix modification activity and a second polypeptide possessing regenerating activity for neural cells.

The present invention provides methods of making α4β7 peptide monmer and dimer antagonists. Methods of the present invention include solid phase and solution phase methods, as well as synthesis via condensation of smaller peptide fragments. Methods of the present invention further include methods directed to the synthesis of peptides comprising one or more penicillamine residues.

The present application relates to polypeptides which are integrin antagonists. Methods of preparing the integrin antagonists and methods of treating diseases and disorders associated with abnormal levels and/or expression of one or more integrins are also provided.

Provided are methods, uses and pharmaceutical compositions for treatment of cancer with a B1SP fusion protein in a biologically effective amount sufficient to cause cell death of a prostate cancer cell or to inhibit proliferation of the prostate cancer cells. The cancer may be prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, glioblastoma or endometrial cancer. The prostate cancer may be an androgen receptor (AR) positive prostate cancer and the B1SP fusion protein may include a sema domain, a structural stabilization domain; and a half life extending moiety.

The present invention provides a sensitive and specific indirect homogeneous mobility shift assay using size exclusion chromatography to measure biologics such as vedolizumab and ustekinumab in a patient sample. The assays of the present invention are particularly advantageous for detecting the presence or level of biologics that target complex or large antigens including cell surface proteins, transmembrane proteins, heavily glycosylated proteins, and multimeric proteins, as well as antigens that cannot be purified, impure antigens, and partially or substantially purified antigens. The present invention also provides isolated soluble α4β7 integrin heterodimers and isolated soluble IL-12p40 monomers that are suitable for use in the indirect assays described herein.

Disclosed are chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) specific to αvβ6 integrin which is uniquely expressed in a wide variety of cancers. Also disclosed are vectors to express the CAR and methods to use the CAR to treat patients suffering from cancer. The instant disclosure provides a CAR comprising a binding domain specific to αvβ6 integrin. In various exemplary embodiments, the αvβ6 specific binding domain comprises a sequence as defined by SEQ ID NOs. 1-12. In some embodiments, the CAR comprises one or more intracellular domains comprising 4-1 BB domain, CD3ζ domain, and CD28 domain. In some embodiments, the αvβ6 binding domain is fused to an Fc region by a glycine-serine linker. In these and other embodiments, the Fc region is substantially similar to an lgG4 or an lgG1 Fc region.

The present invention relates, inter alia, to compositions and methods, including chimeric proteins having a first domain comprising an extracellular domain of a first transmembrane protein, a first secreted protein, or a first membrane-anchored extracellular protein and a second domain comprising an extracellular domain of a second transmembrane protein, a second secreted protein, or a second membrane-anchored extracellular protein, in which either or both of the first domain and the second domain decreases self-directed immune system activity when bound to its ligand/receptor. Accordingly, the present invention find use in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

There are disclosed methods for prophylaxis or treatment of cancer in a mammal. The methods comprise administering an effective amount of an agent to the mammal, which binds to a MAP kinase or an integrin such that binding of the MAP kinase to the integrin is inhibited.

The present invention provides engineered platelets with chimeric platelet receptors (CPR) with a desired target specificity. Additionally, the engineered platelets may comprise cargo which may be released upon activation of the platelet. Additionally, the platelets may be generated in vitro from megakaryocytes engineered to generate non-thrombogenic platelets.

The invention provides multivalent fibronectin-integrin binding compositions and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides peptide compositions that include at least two fibronectin binding peptides coupled together as a cancer therapeutic or a diagnostic tool.