The present invention relates to IL-34 antibodies, compositions comprising the same, and methods of using the antibodies and or compositions thereof for treating immune-mediated diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, for example Alzheimer's Disease or a tauopathy disease.

Provided herein are methods for reducing risk of severe symptoms and outcomes associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection by measuring levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-22, and serum ferritin in a subject. Also provided are methods for treating a subject exposed to or at elevated risk of expose to SARS-CoV-2 based on levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-22, and ferritin in the serum of the subject.

A monoclonal antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof is provided that specifically binds to a region on a mammalian IL-31 protein involved with interaction of the IL-31 protein with its co-receptor, wherein the binding of said antibody to said region is impacted by mutations in a 15H05 epitope binding region selected from: a region between about amino acid residues 124 and 135 of a feline IL-31 sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 157 (Feline_IL31_wildtype); a region between about amino acid residues 124 and 135 of a canine IL-31 sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 155 (Canine_IL31); and a region between about amino acid residues 118 and 129 of an equine IL-31 sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 165 (Equine_IL31). Such antibodies can be in the form of veterinary compositions useful for treating IL-31-mediated disorders in cats, dogs, or horses.

Disclosed are means of assessing the likelihood of a patient to respond positively to stem cell therapy for cartilage regeneration. In one embodiment enhanced inflammatory cytokines are reduced anti-inflammatory cytokines are assessed in the plasma of a potential patient to assess likelihood of response to therapy. In other embodiments intra-articular or synovial fluid is assessed for levels of cytokines that are detrimental to the success of the stem cell therapy. In other embodiments quality of stem cells in the patient are assessed for cytokine to determine suitability for use in stem cell therapy.

The present invention relates to: a pancreatic cancer diagnostic biomarker comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of Interleukin-28 (IL-28), Interleukin-29 (IL-29) and genes encoding same; a composition for diagnosing pancreatic cancer, comprising a preparation capable of detecting the biomarker; and a pancreatic cancer diagnostic method using the composition, and the present invention is to be used in a blood-derived buffy coat sample.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a composition comprising two or more cytokines, and one or more of keratan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, or hyaluronic acid. The composition can simulate a fluid from a patient. The simulated fluid has a viscosity, a storage modulus, and a loss modulus similar to that of patient-derived synovial fluid. A method for making a composition for simulating a fluid from a patient is also disclosed. The method includes creating a mixture comprising two or more cytokines, and one or more of keratan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, or human serum albumin. The method also includes adding a low molecular weight hyaluronic acid to the mixture, adding a high molecular weight hyaluronic acid to the mixture, and incubating the mixture for a predetermined time at a temperature ranging from approximately 0° C. to approximately 10° C.

The present invention provides means and methods for treating Interleukin 18 (IL-18)-associated diseases and disorders. In particular, the present invention discloses antibodies specific for free IL-18 and IL-18 Binding Protein (IL-18BP) for use in such treatments and for the diagnosis of the diseases and disorders.

The present invention relates to an in vitro method for evaluating the prognosis of an autoimmune or chronic inflammatory disease in an individual, comprising the following steps: a) determining (i) the level of an anti-IL-17 autoanitibody and/or (ii) the level of an [IL-17/anti-IL-17 autoantibody] complex in a biological sample of the individual, and b) comparing the level of autoantibody and/or of complex determined in step a) with a reference value, the comparison being indicative of the prognosis of an autoimmune or chronic inflammatory disease in said individual.

Methods and compositions related to the selective, specific disruption of multiple ligand-receptor signaling interactions, such as ligand-receptor interactions implicated in disease, are disclosed. These interactions may involve multiple cytokines in a single receptor family or multiple ligand receptor interactions from at least two distinct ligand-receptor families. The compositions may comprise polypeptides having composite sequences that comprise sequence fragments of two or more ligand binding sites. The methods and compositions may involve sequence fragments of two or more ligand binding sites that are arranged to conserve the secondary structure of each of the ligands from which the sequence fragments were taken.

The invention relates to novel IL-17B antagonist antibodies and their use in the diagnosis or treatment of IL-17B mediated diseases.