The present disclosure relates to compounds that are useful as near-infrared fluorescence probes, wherein the compounds include i) a pteroyl ligand that binds to a target receptor protein, ii) a dye molecule, and iii) a linker molecule that comprises an amino acid or derivative thereof. The disclosure further describes methods and compositions for incorporating the compounds as used for the targeted imaging of tumors. Conjugation of the amino acid linking groups increase specificity and detection of the compound. Methods and compositions for use thereof in diagnostic imaging are contemplated.

The present invention is directed to a method of determining the likelihood of the presence of lung cancer in a subject. The method comprising determining the level of a biomarker selected from the group consisting of catalase (CAT), C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) and surfactant protein B (SFTPB) from a vesicle population isolated from a biological sample from said subject, wherein a change in the level of biomarker as compared to a reference indicates the likelihood of the presence of lung cancer in the subject.

Provided herein are B7-H3 antibodies, fragments of such antibodies, and compositions comprising the same. The antibodies, antibody fragments and compositions are useful in a number of analytical methods, including immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical detection and analysis of B7-H3. Also provided herein are isolated peptides and fusion proteins containing immunogenic determinants for said B7-H3 antibodies, animals immunized with the peptides and fusion proteins, isolated B cells obtained from the animals, and hybridomas made from the isolated B cells.

The present invention relates to methods of diagnosing an inflammatory disorder in a patient, as well as methods of monitoring the progression of an inflammatory disorder and/or methods of monitoring a treatment protocol of a therapeutic agent or regimen. The invention also relates to assay methods used in connection with the diagnostic methods described herein.

Use of an IL-1β binding antibody or a functional fragment thereof, especially canakinumab or a functional fragment thereof, or gevokizumab or a functional fragment thereof, and biomarkers for the treatment and/or prevention of cancer with at least partial inflammatory basis.

The invention is concerned with a method of predicting response to a PD-1 axis inhibitor such as anti-PD-L1 antibody by determining the abundance of dendritic cells (DCs) in a tumor tissue sample. The abundance of DCs characterized by enhanced expressions of XCR1, IRF8, BATF3 and FLT3 predicts clinical response to the PD-L1 blockade 5 treatment.

Provided is a method for identifying whether an RNA molecule has a 2′-O-methylation modification on a nucleotide, said method comprising: (1) contacting the RNA molecule with a ribonuclease Rnase R; and (2) detecting whether the RNA molecule is degraded or detecting hydrolysis termination positions after degradation. If the RNA molecule is degraded, this indicates that the RNA molecule does not have a 2′-O-methylation modification on a 3′ terminal nucleotide, and if hydrolysis terminates at a same site on multiple random broken fragments, this indicates that the RNA molecule has a 2′-O-methylation modification on the nucleotide at the position immediately preceding the termination site. Also provided are applications of the method for screening for a disease diagnosis target and confirming whether a subject has a 2′-O-methylation modification-related disease.

A method for separation and detection of exosomes may include: bringing a biological sample into contact with a capture molecule, the capture molecule including a specific binding substance for an antigen expressed on a cancer cell surface, to form a complex of an exosome and the capture molecule; and a bringing the complex into contact with a detector molecule, the detector molecule including a specific binding substance for an antigen expressed on a cancer cell surface and a labeling substance, to detect the complex by using the detector molecule, in which the antigen expressed on a cancer cell surface for at least one of the capture molecule and the detector molecule is cell-surface vimentin.

The present disclosure provides methods and kits for determining whether a cancer in a subject is susceptible to a treatment with a combination therapy comprising a bispecific anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-Met) antibody and an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). The present disclosure also provides methods for treating a cancer in a subject based on the susceptibility of the cancer to the treatment with a combination therapy comprising a bispecific EGFR/c-Met antibody and an EGFR TKI.

Novel gene deletions and translocations involving chromosome 2 resulting in fusion proteins combining part of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) kinase with part of a secondary protein have been identified herein in human solid tumors, e.g. non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Secondary proteins include Echinoderm Microtubule-Associated Protein-Like 4 (EML-4) and TRK-Fusion Gene (TFG). The EML4-ALK fusion protein, which retains ALK tyrosine kinase activity, was confirmed to drive the proliferation and survival of NSCLC characterized by this mutation. The invention therefore provides, in part, isolated polynucleotides and vectors encoding the disclosed mutant ALK kinase polypeptides, probes for detecting it, isolated mutant polypeptides, recombinant polypeptides, and reagents for detecting the fusion and truncated polypeptides. The disclosed identification of this new fusion protein enables methods for screening for compounds that inhibit the proteins, and methods for inhibiting the progression of a cancer characterized by the mutant polynucleotides or polypeptides.