In certain embodiments, described herein is a method of treating a subject infected with a pathogen encoding an Fc-binding protein comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an Fc region of an immunoglobulin G antibody. Also described herein is a method for treating cancer in a subject undergoing oncolytic viral therapy comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an Fc region of an immunoglobulin G antibody. Further described herein is a method of activating natural killer (NK) cells in a subject infected with a pathogen, comprising administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising an Fc region of an immunoglobulin G antibody.

Provided herein are compositions comprising recombinant mammalian cells that express recombinant T cell rectors with specificity against EBV or CMV peptide:MHC antigens. Also provided are therapeutic methods of using the recombinant mammalian cells as cell therapies against viral infections.

Vaccine-derived neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) for CMV infections and small peptides which define precise recognition elements of the antigens by the NAbs. The vaccine-derived NAbs may be produced by immunizing a subject with a gH/gL/UL128/UL130/UL131A pentameric glycoprotein complex (gH/gLPC). The vaccine-derived NAbs may have properties similar or identical to those of NAbs induced in a subject naturally infected with CMV. Native and non-native small peptides from UL128 and gH have been defined by mapping epitopes and deriving artificial sequences which are minimal recognition elements of vaccine-derived NAbs. These small peptides can be used to elicit vaccine-derived NAbs that prevent CMV entry into susceptible cell types and protect humans from infection and disease. Multivalent vaccines comprising these small peptides and/or epitopes as well as methods of using the vaccine-derived NAbs and small peptides for treating or preventing CMV infection in a subject are also provided.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means for rapidly diagnosing infection with VZV. The present invention relates to an antibody against VZV gE or an antibody fragment thereof, and an immunological measurement method and an immunological measurement device using the antibody or the antibody fragment thereof, etc.

Methods of determining a presence of active primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection are described herein. The methods can include determining a presence or absence of anti-CMV IgG in a sample of a subject. The methods can include determining a presence or absence of CMV nucleic acids in a subsequent sample of the subject. Kits and product combinations useful for performing the methods are also described.

This disclosure relates to specific binding agents to varicella-zoster virus proteins or glycoproteins. In certain embodiments the specific binding agents are antibodies and binding fragments thereof disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, this disclosure relates to methods of treating or preventing a varicella-zoster infection comprising administering an effective amount of a specific binding agent disclosed herein to a subject in need thereof.

The invention provides improved non-human vertebrates and non-vertebrate cells capable of expressing antibodies comprising human variable region sequences. The present invention is directed to the provision of long HCDR3s from non-human vertebrates and cells. The present invention is also directed to the provision of novel V, D and J pairings in immunoglobulin heavy and light chain loci. Novel, biased antibody diversities and potentially expanded diversities are provided. The invention also provides for novel and potentially expanded diversity or diversity that is biased towards variable gene usage common to antibodies useful for treating and/or preventing certain diseases or conditions, such as infectious diseases. The invention also provides methods of generating antibodies using such vertebrates, as well as the antibodies per se, therapeutic compositions thereof and uses.

The present invention is directed to T-cell epitope delivering polypeptides which deliver one or more CD8+ T-cell epitopes to the MHC class I presentation pathway of a cell, including toxin-derived polypeptides which comprise embedded T-cell epitopes and are de-immunized. The present invention provides cell-targeted, CD8+ T-cell epitope delivering molecules for the targeted delivery of cytotoxicity to certain cells, e.g., infected or malignant cells, for the targeted killing of specific cell types, and the treatment of a variety of diseases, disorders, and conditions, including cancers, immune disorders, and microbial infections. The present invention also provides methods of generating polypeptides capable of delivering one or more heterologous T-cell epitopes to the MHC class I presentation pathway, including polypeptides which are 1) B-cell and/or CD4+ T-cell de-immunized, 2) comprise embedded T-cell epitopes, and/or 3) comprises toxin effectors which retain toxin functions.

Disclosed are methods of producing human iPSC-derived brain organoids and uses thereof to detect and develop treatment for HCMV-induced brain deformation in developing fetus.

Systems and methods to genetically modify B cells to express selected antibodies are described. The systems and methods can be used to: obviate the need for classical vaccinations; provide protection against infectious agents for which no vaccinations are currently available; provide protection against infectious agents when patients are otherwise immune-suppressed; and/or provide a benefit provided by a therapeutic antibody, such as in the treatment of autoimmune disorders.