A microparticle is described comprising an antigen and a costimulatory component derived from an antigen presenting cell. The microparticle may be used for stimulating T cells ex vivo, followed by administration to a subject, e.g., as part of a personalized, customized therapeutic treatment of cancer or a tumor, an autoimmune disease or an allergic reaction, hypersensitivity reaction, an infection or infectious disease, an injury or other damage, a transplant or other surgical site, or a blood clot. It may also be used for the controlled release of a cytokine for the regulation of immunity in general and for other therapeutic uses. Methods of treating a disease or medical condition in a subject by exposing leukocytes from the subject to the microparticle, then reinfusing the leukocytes into the subject are provided. Methods of preparing an activated cytotoxic T cell population specific for an antigen are also provided.

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.

Provided are anti-PD-L1 antibodies, variants, mutants, and antigen binding fragments thereof. Also provided are isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode the anti-PD-L1 antibodies, variants, mutants, or antigen binding fragments thereof, and related expression vectors, and host cells. Provided are methods of making anti-PD-L1 antibodies, variants, mutants, and antigen binding fragments thereof. Also provided are related pharmaceutical compositions and methods of their use to treat subjects. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

The present invention provides an immunity-inducing agent comprising a polynucleotide-peptide conjugate or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active component, wherein the polynucleotide-peptide conjugate consists of: a single-chain polynucleotide or polynucleotide derivative comprising a CpG motif; a peptide; and a spacer which is covalently bonded at one end thereof to the polynucleotide or polynucleotide derivative and covalently bonded at the other end thereof to the peptide, wherein the peptide is a peptide modified by substituting one or more contiguous amino acids at the N-terminus of an MHC-binding peptide with an amino acid having a reactive functional group which allows for the formation of a covalent bond with the spacer, wherein the one or more contiguous amino acids contain no anchor residues for MHC binding.

The present invention provides a conjugate comprising an albumin binding peptide and a cargo, compositions for directing cargos to the lymphatic system, and vaccines. The methods of the invention can be used to increase an immune response, or to treat cancer or an infectious disease.

The present invention relates to artificial antigen presenting cell (aAPC) scaffolds to provide cells with specific functional stimulation to obtain phenotypic and functional properties ideal to mediate tumor regression or viral clearance. In particular, the scaffolds of the present invention comprise stabilized MHC class I molecules comprising a heavy chain comprising an alpha-1 domain and an alpha-2 domain connected by a disulfide bridge, wherein said MHC class I molecules are free of antigenic peptide. The scaffolds can be loaded with antigenic peptide on demand, providing an agile platform for effective expansion and functional stimulation of specific T cells in a peptide-MHC-directed fashion.

The present invention provides combination therapies that are useful for treating and/or preventing certain cancers. In certain embodiments, the therapy comprises an immune-checkpoint inhibitor and a RIG-I agonist. In other embodiments, the therapy comprises a RIG-I agonist.

Isolated GPC3-derived epitope peptides having Th1 cell inducibility are disclosed herein. Such peptides can be recognized by MHC class II molecules and induce Th1 cells. In preferred embodiments, such a peptide of the present invention can promiscuously bind to MHC class II molecules and induce GPC3-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in addition to Th1 cells. Such peptides are thus suitable for use in enhancing immune response in a subject, and accordingly find use in cancer immunotherapy, in particular, as cancer vaccines. Also disclosed herein are polynucleotides that encode any of the aforementioned peptides, APCs and Th1 cells induced by such peptides and methods of induction associated therewith. Pharmaceutical compositions that comprise any of the aforementioned components as active ingredients find use in the treatment and/or prevention of cancers or tumors including, for example, hepatocellular carcinoma and melanoma.

The present invention provides a nucleic acid molecule encoding a specific binding molecule capable of binding an h TERT peptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 when the peptide is presented by a Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), wherein the specific binding molecule comprises a first polypeptide comprising a variable region of an α-chain and a second polypeptide comprising a variable region of a β-chain of a T-cell receptor (TCR), and wherein: (a) the variable region of an α-chain comprises CDR sequences CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 which respectively comprise the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 2, 3 and 4; and (b) the variable region of a β-chain comprises CDR sequences CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 which respectively comprise the sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 5, 6 and 7. Recombinant constructs, vectors and host cells comprising such nucleic acid molecules are also provided, as are specific binding molecules encoded by such nucleic acid molecules. The present invention has utility in the treatment of cancer.

The present application relates to a medicine for treating tumors. A novel attenuated oncolytic virus strain is provided by means of a site-directed mutation of a wild-type virus matrix protein M of a vesicular stomatitis virus. On the basis of the attenuated oncolytic virus strain, an oncolytic virus vaccine is provided by inserting an exogenous gene into the attenuated strain. A medicine capable of treating multiple types of tumors is provided by the use of the oncolytic virus vaccine in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitor.