The present invention relates to one or more ligands of a potassium channel β subunit for use in therapy, and in particular for use in treating or preventing a sleep disorder in a subject. The invention also provides a method of screening a test compound to determine if it is a substrate of a potassium channel β subunit.

Provided is a novel probe for a biological specimen for labelling by itself and clearly visualizing one of a specific cell and a specific cell organ in a living body, the probe having excellent spectral characteristics and exhibiting excellent storage stability. The probe for a biological specimen contains, as an active agent, at least one kind of compound represented by a general formula (I). ##STR00001##

Provided herein are mice that are heterozygous knock outs for Ctla4 and homozygous knockouts for Pdcd1 (Ctla4.sup.+/− Pdcd1.sup.−/− mice), which may suffer from autoimmunity, including myocarditis and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Also provided are methods of using such mice to screen for therapeutic agents that mitigate immune-related adverse events.

A composition comprising a novel Ca.sup.2+-activated, [ATP].sub.i-sensitive nonspecific cation (NC.sub.Ca-ATP) channel is described. The channel is found in mammalian neural cells and exhibits a different sensitivity to block by various adenine nucleotides, and is activated by submicromolar [Ca].sub.i. The NC.sub.Ca-ATP channel is activated under conditions of ATP depletion, which causes severe cell depolarization, followed by cell swelling. The NC.sub.Ca-ATP channel is regulated by a sulfonylurea receptor and is inhibited by sulfonylurea compounds glibenclamide and tolbutamide. Methods employing compositions comprising the NC.sub.Ca-ATP channel to screen for compounds that block the channel and the use of such antagonists as therapeutics in preventing brain swelling and damage are described. In addition, methods employing compositions comprising the Kir2.3 channel to screen for compounds that open the channel and the use of such antagonists as therapeutics in preventing brain swelling and damage are described.

Non-human animals comprising a human or humanized C3 and/or C5 nucleic acid sequence are provided as well as methods for using the same to identify compounds capable of modulating the complement system. Non-human animals that comprise a replacement of the endogenous C5 gene and/or C3 gene with a human or humanized C5 gene and/or C3 gene, and methods for making and using the non-human animals, are described. Non-human animals comprising a human or humanized C5 gene under control of non-human C5 regulatory elements is also provided, including non-human animals that have a replacement of non-human C5-encoding sequence with human C5-encoding sequence at an endogenous non-human C5 locus. Non-human animals comprising a human or humanized C3 gene under control of non-human C3 regulatory elements is also provided, including non-human animals that have a replacement of non-human C3 protein-encoding sequence with human or humanized C3 protein-encoding sequence at an endogenous non-human C3 locus. Non-human animals comprising human or humanized C3 and/or C5 sequences, wherein the non-human animals are rodents, e.g., mice or rats, are provided.

Methods of treating subjects having diseases, disorders, or conditions, including disorders associated with cholesterol homeostasis, responsive to agents modulating Kupffer cell function, including methods of administration and dosing regimens associated therewith, are provided. Methods of treating subjects having liver diseases, disorders, or conditions, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, with an IL-10 agent are also provided.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease including a long-acting GLP-1/glucagon receptor dual agonist, and a method for preventing or treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease including administering the composition. The composition of the present invention either has no side effect of weight gain or reduces the side effect of weight gain, which is a side-effect of conventional therapeutic agents for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and reduces the amount of administrations of a long-acting GLP-1/glucagon receptor dual agonist, thus greatly improving patient's convenience. In addition, the long-acting GLP-1/glucagon receptor dual agonist of the present invention improves in vivo sustainability and stability.

The present invention is directed to antagonistic antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof having binding specificity for PACAP. These antibodies inhibit, block or neutralize at least one biological effect associated with PACAP, e.g., vasodilation. In exemplary embodiments these antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof may comprise specific V.sub.H, V.sub.L, and CDR polypeptides described herein. In some embodiments these antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof bind to and/or compete for binding to specific epitope(s) on human PACAP. The invention is further directed to using these antagonistic anti-PACAP antibodies, and binding fragments thereof, for the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of diseases and disorders associated with PACAP and conditions where antagonism of PACAP-related activities, such as vasodilation, mast cell degranulation, and/or neuronal activation, are therapeutically beneficial, e.g., headache and migraine indications.

Isolated or recombinant Eph A5 or GRP78 targeting antibodies are provided. In some cases, antibodies of the embodiments can be used for the detection, diagnosis and/or therapeutic treatment of human diseases, such as cancer. A method of rapidly identifying antibodies or antibody fragments for the treatment of cancer using a combination of in vitro and in vivo methodologies is also provided.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a conjugate of a cytokine and a tumor targeting moiety (TTM) and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein the cytokine is present in an amount which does not induce a negative feedback mechanism.