The invention relates to an oligonucleotide including one or more modified nucleoside bases having the structure -B-L-A wherein for each of the modified nucleosides A is independently a monosaccharide or oligosaccharide, L is a linker molecule, and B is independently a pyrimidine or pyridine base linked to the sugar-phosphate backbone of the oligonucleotide; and wherein the oligonucleotide binds specifically to a carbohydrate-binding monoclonal antibody with an affinity of less than 100 nM. Immunogenic conjugates that include the oligonucleotide, and pharmaceutical compositions that include the oligonucleotide or the immunogenic conjugate are also disclosed. Various method of using the oligonucleotides, immunogenic conjugates, and pharmaceutical compositions are disclosed, including inducing an immune response, inhibiting viral or bacterial infection, treating a cancerous condition, and detecting a neutralizing antibody. A method is also disclosed for selecting the oligonucleotides using an alternative Selection of Modified Aptamers (SELMA).

The present invention provides methods and compositions for determining whether a subject would benefit from co-receptor inhibitor therapy. In certain aspects, the methods can be used to determine whether a subject infected with a dual-mixed tropic population of HIV would benefit from CCCR5-inhibitor therapy or CXCR4-inhibitor therapy, the methods comprising determining whether the HIV population is a homogeneous or heterogeneous population of HIV, wherein the nature of the homogenous or heterogenous population of HIV indicates whether the patient would benefit from co-receptor inhibitor therapy.

The present invention relates to a method for detecting and/or quantifying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) specific antibodies in a sample of a subject comprising the step of determining the presence and/or amount of antibodies binding to a) a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence AIVCTRPNNNTRKSIRIGPGQVFYT (SEQ. ID No. 1), or b) a homolog having at least 70% identity with a peptide of a), or c) a fragment of a peptide of a) or b) consisting of 15 to 24 amino acid residues in said sample.

The present relation relates to recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus for use as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases of AIDS. The present invention encompasses the preparation and purification of immunogenic compositions which are formulated into the vaccines of the present invention.

Embodiments herein provide methods for identifying antibody glycosylation profiles which correlate with antibody effector functions. These profiles are antibody signatures for the respective correlated antibody effector functions, and are incorporated into engineered antibody for antibody-mediated treatments of infections, diseases, and medical conditions.

Neutralizing antibodies that specifically bind to HIV-1 Env and antigen binding fragments of these antibodies are disclosed. Nucleic acids encoding these antibodies, vectors and host cells are also provided. Methods for detecting HIV-1 using these antibodies are disclosed. In addition, the use of these antibodies, antigen binding fragment, nucleic acids and vectors to prevent and/or treat an HIV-1 infection is disclosed.

Neutralizing antibodies that specifically bind to HIV-1 Env and antigen binding fragments of these antibodies are disclosed. Nucleic acids encoding these antibodies, vectors and host cells are also provided. Methods for detecting HIV-1 using these antibodies are disclosed. In addition, the use of these antibodies, antigen binding fragment, nucleic acids and vectors to prevent and/or treat an HIV-1 infection is disclosed.

The present relation relates to recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus for use as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases of AIDS. The present invention encompasses the preparation and purification of immunogenic compositions which are formulated into the vaccines of the present invention.

The invention provides a method for determining whether a human immunodeficiency virus is likely to be have enhanced ability to enter a cell expressing CD4 and CXCR4 relative to a reference HIV. In certain aspects, the methods comprise detecting one or more amino acids in an envelope protein of the HIV associated with enhanced ability to enter CD4- and CXCR4-expressing cells and determining that the HIV's ability to enter such cells is enhanced relative to a reference HIV, e.g., an HIV that does not comprise such amino acid(s).

The present invention relates to novel compositions of active agents and methods for the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS. In particular, the present invention relates to novel methods to select HIV infected patients with improved responses to HIV-specific vaccine peptides.