The invention provides novel compounds, in particular peptide and peptide analogs, which exhibit functionalities useful for treating a variety of diseases and conditions, particularly diseases and conditions relating to diabetes. The compounds of the invention are also useful for treating impaired pancreatic function, treating metabolic diseases, ex vivo islet induction, expansion and proliferation for transplantation, increasing the survival of transplanted islets in vivo, promoting neuroprotection or nerve regeneration, promoting liver regeneration, and inhibiting inflammation.

The invention relates to a recombinant lentiviral vector genome comprising a polynucleotide encoding a fusion polypeptide, wherein said fusion protein comprises arranged from N-terminal to C-terminal ends: (i) a first polypeptide comprising a multimerization scaffold which comprises at least one collectin or a fragment thereof suitable to enable self-assembly of multimers of the first polypeptide, fused with at least one antigenic polypeptide; (ii) a second polypeptide comprising a CD40L ectodomain or a receptor binding fragment thereof, in particular the CD40L ectodomain of the human CD40L. The invention also relates to a lentiviral vector and pharmaceutical compositions comprising it.

Disclosed herein is a CLEC2 fusion protein comprising a first polypeptide and a second polypeptide coupled to the upstream of the first polypeptide. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the first and the second polypeptides respectively comprise the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2. Also disclosed therein are uses of the CLEC2 fusion protein in treating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and treating influenza virus infection.

Described herein are engineered microbe-targeting molecules, microbe-targeting articles, kits comprising the same, and uses thereof. Such microbe-targeting molecules, microbe-targeting articles, or the kits comprising the same can not only bind or capture of a microbe or microbial matter thereof, but they also have improved capability (e g, enhanced sensitivity or signal intensity) of detecting a microbe or microbial matter. Thus, the microbe-targeting molecules, microbe-targeting articles, and/or the kit described herein can be used in various applications, e.g., but not limited to assays for detection of a microbe or microbial matter, diagnostic and/or therapeutic agents for diagnosis and/or treatment of an infection caused by microbes in a subject or any environmental surface, and/or devices for removal of a microbe or microbial matter from a fluid.

The present invention relates to methods for promoting T cells response. The inventors examined the expression and function of CLEC-1 in human DCs and demonstrated for the first time a cell-surface expression. They investigated its functional role following triggering on orchestration of T-cell responses. The inventors showed in vitro and in vivo with CLEC-1 deficient rats and rat CLEC-1 Fc fusion protein that disruption of CLEC-1 signalling enhances in vitro Th17 activation and in vivo enhances T cell priming and Th17 and Th1 activation. In particular, the present invention relates to CLEC-1 antagonists for promoting T cells response in a subject in need thereof.

There is provided a simple and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma detection method. The adenocarcinoma detection method of the present invention includes a step of detecting in vitro a presence or absence of an abnormal cleavage in a specific protein in a test subject-derived sample. The abnormal cleavage in the specific protein is, for example, a cleavage resulting in one or more breaks in a peptide bond in the specific protein and/or a cleavage resulting in a deletion of one or two more amino acid residues at one or more sites of the specific protein. The adenocarcinoma detection method of the present invention includes a step of detecting a presence or amount of a protein having the abnormal cleavage or a decrease in an amount of a normal protein.

Materials and methods for using multivalent molecules (e.g., antibodies) to modulate cellular function. A molecule can be targeted to a particular type of cell, either through direct binding to an epitope on the surface of the cell, or through a linker that recognizes both the multivalent molecule and a marker on the cell surface.

Described herein are modified gal1 monomers that can contain one or more mutated cysteines and/or can be pegylated. Also described herein are modified gal1 dimers, trimers, and tetramers that can contain one or more modified gal1 monomers as described herein. Also described herein are pharmaceutical formulations containing a modified gal1 monomer, dimer, trimer, and/or tetramer. Also described herein are methods of making the modified gal1 polypeptides and complexes thereof. Also described herein are methods of using the modified gal1 polypeptides and complexes thereof.

Materials and methods for using multivalent molecules (e.g., antibodies) to modulate cellular function. A molecule can be targeted to a particular type of cell, either through direct binding to an epitope on the surface of the cell, or through a linker that recognizes both the multivalent molecule and a marker on the cell surface.

Described herein are targeted ChABC fusion proteins, complexes thereof, and uses thereof. The targeted ChABC fusion proteins can include a ChABC polypeptide that can be linked to a Gal-3 polypeptide. Monomer targeted ChABC fusion proteins can form homogeneous or heterogeneous complexes. The targeted ChABC fusion proteins and complexes thereof can be formulated as pharmaceutical formulations. The targeted ChABC fusion proteins, complexes thereof, and formulations thereof can be administered to a subject in need thereof.