Specific binding members, particularly antibodies and fragments thereof, which bind to transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) are provided, particularly recognizing human and mouse TGF-β3, particularly antibodies and fragments that do not recognize or bind TGF-β1 or TGF-β2. Particular antibodies are provided which specifically recognize and neutralize TGF-β3. These antibodies are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with activated or elevated TGF-β3, including cancer, and for modulating immune cells and immune response, including immune response to cancer or cancer antigens. The anti-TGF-β3 antibodies, variable regions or CDR domain sequences thereof, and fragments thereof may also be used in therapy in combination with chemotherapeutics, immune modulators, or anti-cancer agents and/or with other antibodies or fragments thereof. Antibodies of this type are exemplified by the novel antibodies hereof, including antibody MTGF-β3-9, MTGF-β3-12, MTGF-β3-16, MTGF-β3-17 and MTGF-β3-19, whose sequences are provided herein.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is marked by altered immune regulation linked to waxing and waning clinical disease. Embodiments described herein identify sets of biomarkers/mediators and their use for informing and/or predicting a future SLE disease activity event such as an impending SLE flare or SLE-related organ inflammation. Such an approach can be beneficial in the management of lupus.

The present invention provides diagnostic methods, therapeutic methods, and compositions for the treatment of cancer (e.g., a bladder cancer (e.g., UC, e.g., mUC), a kidney cancer, a lung cancer, a liver cancer, an ovarian cancer, a pancreatic cancer, a colorectal cancer, or a breast cancer). The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery that expression levels of one or more biomarkers described herein in a sample from an individual having cancer can be used in methods of identifying an individual having a cancer who may benefit with an anti-cancer therapy that includes an immunotherapy (e.g., a PD-L1 axis binding antagonist such as an anti-PD-L1 antibody (e.g., atezolizumab)) and a suppressive stromal antagonist (e.g., a TGF-β antagonist), methods for selecting a therapy for an individual having cancer, methods of treating an individual having cancer, methods for assessing a response or monitoring the response of an individual to treatment with an anti-cancer therapy that includes an immunotherapy (e.g., a PD-L1 axis binding antagonist such as an anti-PD-L1 antibody (e.g., atezolizumab)) and a suppressive stromal antagonist (e.g., a TGF-β antagonist), and related kits, anti-cancer therapies, and uses.

Disclosed herein are methods of diagnosing or prognosing aggressive prostate cancer in a subject and methods of treating a subject with aggressive prostate cancer. For example, the methods can include measuring increased expression of aggressive prostate cancer-related molecules (such as FOLH1, SPARC, TGFB1, CAMKK2, NCOA2, EGFR, or PSA) and optionally administering a therapeutically effective amount of aggressive prostate cancer therapy.

Methods for treating tumors by administering ionizing radiation and an immune modulator to a patient with cancer are disclosed. The methods provide the dual benefits of anti-tumor efficacy plus normal tissue protection when combining immune modulators with ionizing radiation to treat cancer patients. The methods described herein also allow for the classification of patients into groups for receiving optimized radiation treatment in combination with an immune modulator based on patient-specific biomarker signatures.

Described herein are aptamers capable of binding to growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) protein; compositions comprising a GDF11 binding aptamer with a GDF11 protein; and methods of making and using the same.

Disclosed are pharmaceutical preparations for, and methods for determining, appropriate and effective treatment with therapeutic agents comprising a single species of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody or therapeutic agents comprising a plurality of species of such antibodies, as well as kits useful for making such determinations.

In vitro methods for detecting and measuring an antigen-specific regulatory T cell response are described. In particular, there is provided, for example, a method of detecting a change in surface expression of particular T cell markers in T cells obtained from the subject as a way to detect induced immune suppression in response to exposure to a particular antigen or plurality of antigens.

A method for implementing an adapted patient care for an individual suffering from liver fibrosis after assessing liver fibrosis progression in the individual, and thus determining whether the individual is a slow, medium or fast fibroser. Also, a method for treating an individual suffering from liver fibrosis and identified as a fast fibroser, which includes the steps of identifying the individual as a fast fibroser by assessing fibrosis progression and treating the individual by administering without delay at least one therapeutic agent for treating liver fibrosis, or for treating the underlying cause responsible for liver fibrosis, or both.

The present invention relates to methods for predicting the probability of a treatment response of a human cancer patient to an immune checkpoint blocker treatment e.g. with anti PD-1, and to methods for predicting the probability of survival of a human cancer patient following an immune checkpoint blocker treatment, and to apparatuses and kits which can be used in these methods.