Described herein are methods for producing and utilizing an artificial antigen presenting cell (aAPC). An aAPC is engineered to express a first and second chimeric stimulatory receptor that specifically bind antigen presenting on a T cell of interest. The aAPC as described herein is designed for use in activating and/or expanding a T cell or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell. Further, this invention relates to methods of treating cancer by administering to a subject in need thereof an aAPC-activated CART cell.

Monomers and copolymers are provided that both target antigen presenting cells (APCs) and activate toll-like receptor (TLR) on the APCs. In some embodiments, compositions and methods involve a polymer that targets the mannose receptor on APCs, in addition to activating a TLR. These can then be conjugated to protein antigens to efficiently target antigens to DCs and simultaneously induce the up-regulation of co-stimulatory molecules that are essential for effective T cell activation. This copolymer is a more efficient activator of DCs, as measured by the surface expression of co-stimulatory molecules and the release of proinflammatory cytokines, than the monomeric form the TLR agonist used in the polymer formulation. Aspects of the disclosure relate to novel compounds, methods, and compositions for treating diseases using the compounds, copolymers, and compositions described herein.

The present specification provides methods for augmenting the antigenic content, especially of tumor-associated antigens (TAA), and immunogenicity of cancer cells; methods for enhancing cross-presentation in dendritic cells, compositions comprising such manipulated cells derived from single cancer patients; and methods of using those compositions as a personal immunotherapeutic product to treat the donor patient's cancer.

This disclosure relates to methods of treating cancer using dendritic cells pulsed with tumor membrane vesicles as disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, the tumor membrane vesicles contain fusion proteins with a cytokine and a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol domain. In certain embodiments, the cytokine is granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). In certain embodiments, tumor membrane vesicles contain fusion proteins with IL-12 and a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol domain.

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.

The present invention provides an immunomodulatory composition useful for treating or preventing joint damage comprising at least a set of peptides possessing an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, 85% and 90% sequence identity with the peptides corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3 and SEQ ID NO:4 and a method for the treatment or prevention of joint damage comprising the steps of a) extract monocytes from a patient with a rheumatological disease; b) culture the monocytes extracted in the previous step in AIM-V medium with GM-CSF and IL-4; c) wash the monocytes and add dexamethasone; d) load the tDCs with the immunomodulatory composition comprising autoantigenic peptides; e) add MPLA; and f) incorporate the tDCs loaded with autoantigenic peptides into the patient. The present invention includes methods for the treatment or prevention of rheumatological disease comprising a wide range of tDCs performed by different protocols.

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.

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for genetically modifying lymphocytes, for example T cells and/or NK cells. In some embodiments, the methods include reaction mixtures, and resulting cell formulations, that are created using whole blood, or a component thereof that is not a PBMC, and additionally comprise T cells and recombinant retroviral particles having polynucleotides that encode a CAR. In some embodiments, modified lymphocytes are reintroduced into a subject subcutaneously. In some embodiments, polynucleotides that provide T cells the ability to regulate cell survival and proliferation in response to binding to a CAR, are provided.

Disclosed herein are vaccine compostions and method to use the same. The compositions and methods disclosed herein provide means to prevent and/or treat a variety of cancers.

The invention relates to an immunogenic compound comprising an antigenic peptide having amino acid similarity with a tumor antigen, which antigenic peptide is selected in the group consisting of sequences described in the specification.