Compounds comprising peptides capable of binding C3 protein and inhibiting complement activation are disclosed. The compounds include a modified compstatin peptide or analog thereof, comprising an added N-terminal component that improves (1) the binding affinity of the peptide to C3, C3b or C3c and/or (2) the plasma stability and/or plasma residence time of the peptide, as compared with an unmodified compstatin peptide under equivalent conditions. Methods of improving the C3 binding of compstatin or compstatin analogs are also disclosed, as well as methods of designing compstatin analogs with improved C3 binding.

The subject invention pertains to biomarkers for identifying a subject as having high risk of the development PE. The biomarkers presented herein include miRNAs, post-translational modification of histone proteins, amount, expression and/or activity of histone or DNA modifying enzymes and methylation of sites in the genomic DNA. In certain embodiments, increased miR-17, increased acetylation of H4 histone protein, decreased amount, expression and/or activity of HDAC5 mRNA or protein or increased methylation of DNA at the genomic site CYP19A1 in the blood, serum or plasma of a subject compared to that of a control subject is used to predict the development of PE in the subject. The invention also provides kits and reagents to conduct assays to quantify biomarkers described herein. The invention further provides the methods of treating and/or managing PE in a subject identified as having a high risk of the development of PE.

An antibody recognizing the O-acetylated-GD2 ganglioside for the treatment of Cancer Stem Cells (CSC) cancer, a pharmaceutical composition including the antibody for treating a CSC cancer and a method for treating a CSC cancer in a patient in need thereof, the method including administering the antibody to the patient. A method for diagnosing a CSC, the use of the O-acetylated-GD2 ganglioside as a biomarker of CSC cancer, and a method for predicting the response of a subject affected with CSC cancer to a treatment with the antibody or the composition are also described.

The present application provides methods for preparing soluble lipidated ligand agents comprising a ligand entity and a lipid entity, and in some embodiments, provides relevant parameters of each of these components, thereby enabling appropriate selection of components to assemble active agents for any given target of interest.

In various embodiments methods are provided for identifying a mammal having an elevated risk for an adverse cardiac event (e.g. an MI) and/or determining the prognosis for the mammal. In certain embodiments the methods comprise determining, or causing to be determined, the presence and/or level of antibodies that bind a malondialdehyde-acetaldheyde adduct (MAA adduct) in a biological sample from the mammal, where an elevated level of anti-MAA adduct antibodies, as compared to the level found in a normal healthy mammal is an indicator that that said mammal has one or more atherosclerotic lesions and/or is at elevated risk for a myocardial infarction.

A method for determining whether a subject is at risk of dying from breast cancer or prostate cancer is disclosed.

The present invention is directed towards methods for treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a patient and determining prognosis of NAFLD in a patient.

There is disclosed an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof: (i) capable of binding to N-acetyl-S[2-carboxyethyl]-L-cysteine (CEMA) and; (ii) capable of binding to a conjugate comprising a compound of formula [II] wherein n is selected from 0 to 4 (that is, 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4), and each R is independently selected from H or C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl; preferably, a compound of formula [I] wherein the compound of formula [II] or formula [I] is coupled to an immunogenic carrier via a linker, suitably, wherein the linker is coupled to the compound of formula [I] via the amine group.

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The present invention relates to a compound for use in detecting reader and eraser proteins of lysine lipoylation. The present invention provides an affinity-based probe, referred to herein as KPlip, capable of interrogating the lipoylated peptide/protein interactions under native cellular environments. The chemical probe allows for the identification of potential regulators of lysine lipoylation, thus uncovering new biology related to lipoylation. There is also provided a method of using the compound to identifying proteins that interact with lipoylated proteins.

The invention relates to monoclonal antibodies or an antigen binding fragment thereof targeting acetylation sites within the human Tau protein. K280 and K311, which can be indicative of a disease state and, as such, represent diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets. Accordingly, one aspect of the invention relates to a monoclonal antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof that specifically binds acetylated lysine 280 or acetylated lysine 311 in human tau protein. The monoclonal antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof can be part of a pharmaceutical composition and provided to a subject to diagnose and/or treat a tauopathy.