Two methods for quantifying fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (“FDP”) in a blood sample. The first method features obtaining a blood sample from a non-human animal, centrifuging the blood sample to obtain a first supernatant and collecting the first supernatant, centrifuging the first supernatant to obtain a second supernatant and collecting the second supernatant, diluting the second supernatant, contacting the diluted second supernatant with a reagent that contains antibodies specifically binding to FDP, and detecting an amount of antibodies specifically bound to FDP, thereby quantifying FDP in the blood sample. The second method requires subjecting the diluted second supernatant to a quantitative immunoassay that specifically detects FDP to quantify the amount of FDP in the non-human blood sample.

Provided are a tumour antigen polypeptide having the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 or a variant thereof; a nucleic acid encoding same; a nucleic acid construct, an expression vector, and a host cell comprising the encoding nucleic acid; and an antigen presenting cell presenting the tumour antigen polypeptide on the cell surface and an immune effector cell thereof. Also provided is the use of the polypeptide, nucleic acid, antigen presenting cell or immune effector cell in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancers.

Provided are methods for identifying tumor-derived extracellular vesicles. The methods can include combining an antibody and a sample under conditions suitable for formation of antigen-antibody complexes with tumor-derived extracellular vesicles. The methods also include exposing the tumor-derived extracellular vesicles to a compound that binds beta-sheet structures, and determining if there is a change in binding of the compound to the extracellular vesicles compared to one or more controls.

The invention provides a method for classifying tumors by their collagen expression patterns into groups associated with high and low overall survival.

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.

Disclosed is the use of a DKK1 gene or the coded protein inhibitor thereof for the preparation of a composition or formulation used to prevent and/or treat tumor cachexia and diseases associated with diabetes. By inhibiting the expression or activity of the DKK1 gene or the protein encoded thereby in tumor cells, which can effectively prevent and/or treat tumor cachexia and diseases associated with diabetes, also provided is a method for detecting the protein expression level of DKK1 in blood, which level is taken as an indicator for precise treatment and judging prognosis.

The present invention relates to the prediction of the survival time of a patient suffering from a cancer. The inventors identified in blood from healthy donors a subpopulation of WIT cells that expresses CD73 and displays immunosuppressive phenotype and functions (i.e., production of immunosuppressive molecules and inhibition of αßT cell proliferation). Furthermore, they detected the presence of CD73+ γδ T cells in immune infiltrates of freshly resected breast cancer specimens. Altogether, these data suggest that part of γδ T cells infiltrated in the breast cancer microenvironment presents a regulatory phenotype characterized by CD73 expression, and are likely to display pro-tumor functions through the mechanisms they described in vitro. Thus, the invention relates to a method for predicting the survival time of a patient suffering from a cancer comprising i) determining in a sample obtained from the patient the level of Gamma/Delta T cells expressing CD73 ii) comparing the expression level determined at step i) with its predetermined reference value and iii) providing a good prognosis when the level of Gamma/Delta T cells expressing CD73 determined at step i) is lower than its predetermined reference value, or providing a bad prognosis when the level of Gamma/Delta T cells expressing CD73 determined at step i) is higher than its predetermined reference value.

The present invention provides methods to improve a cancer patient's response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, and functional test to predict likelihood of response. Specifically, the invention provides methods to improve patient's response to immune checkpoint inhibitors using modulators and to predict response to the combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and modulators.

The present invention relates to a monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to TIM-3 and uses thereof.

The monoclonal antibody, hTIM-3_NCC1, of the present invention specifically recognizes human and mouse cells expressing TIM-3, and it can be useful for various fields such as diagnosis of diseases mediated by TIM-3 expressing cells as well as prevention or treatment thereof.

Provided is a novel fluorescent probe which can be used in a spray manner, has an outstandingly high sensitivity-specificity with instantaneousness, and enables detection of a brain tumor.

A fluorescent probe for detecting a brain tumor, including a compound of the following formula (I) or a salt thereof:

##STR00001##

wherein P1 represents an arginine residue, a histidine residue or a tyrosine residue, P2 represents a proline residue or a glycine residue, where P1 is linked to an adjacent N atom by forming an amide bond, and P2 is linked to P1 by forming an amide bond; R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, or 1 to 4 identical or different substituents each independently selected from the group consisting of an optionally substituted alkyl group, a carboxyl group, an ester group, an alkoxy group, an amide group and an azide group; R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an optionally substituted alkyl group or a halogen atom; R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group;

X represents O, Si(R.sup.a)(R.sup.b), Ge(R.sup.a)(R.sup.b), Sn(R.sup.a)(R.sup.b), C(R.sup.a) (R.sup.b) or P(═O)(R.sup.a); R.sup.a and R.sup.b each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group; and Y represents a C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkylene group.