The invention relates to prophylaxis and therapy of cancer. In particular there is provided a protein Tryptophan2,3-di-oxygenase (TDO) or peptide fragments here of that are capable of eliciting anti-cancer immune responses. Specifically, the invention relates to the use of TDO or peptides derived thereof or TDO specific T-cells for treatment of cancer. The invention thus relates to an anti-cancer vaccine which optionally may be used in combination with other immunotherapies and to TDO specific T-cells adoptively transferred or induced in vivo by vaccination as a treatment of cancer. It is an aspect of the invention that the medicaments herein provided may be used in combination with cancer chemotherapy treatment. A further aspect relates to the prophylaxis and therapy of infections by the same means as described above.

Provided are methods to induce and maintain a protective cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to a peptide of the HER2/neu oncogene, GP2, with the effect of inducing and maintaining protective or therapeutic immunity against breast cancer in a patient in clinical remission, including patients having low to intermediate levels of HER2/neu expression. The methods comprise administering to the patient an effective amount of a vaccine composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, an adjuvant such as GM-CSF, and the GP2 peptide. The methods may further comprise administering a periodic booster vaccine dose as needed due to declining GP2-specific T cell immunity. Also provided are vaccine compositions for use in the methods.

Compositions, methods, systems, apparatus and/or articles of manufacture are disclosed for reducing the susceptibility of a population and/or members thereof to cancer, which may include anti-cancer vaccines, components thereof which may include novopeptides, and methods relating thereto.

Disclosed herein are materials and methods for treating cancer. In particular, compositions for stimulating tumor immunity through modulation of MFG-E8 are provided.

A method to treat an autoimmune disease is provided. The method involves administration of interleukin-15 receptor (IL-15R) agonists in an amount effective to ameliorate a symptom of the autoimmune disease. The invention also involves a method to treat an autoimmune disease by ex-vivo expansion of CD44+CD122+Kir+ CD8+ Treg cells and administration of the CD44+CD122+Kir+ CD8+ Treg cells. Compositions comprising CD44+CD122+Kir+ CD8+ Treg cells are also provided. Methods for stimulating an immune response to an antigen are also provided.

The present invention relates to immuno-protected encapsulated cells producing an immunomodulator, for example GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor). The cells of the invention are particularly well adapted for providing an active adjuvant or immunomodulator, for example in the context of immunization in humans and animals. These cells can be used for vaccination where they provide the immunomodulator in an active form, in a continuous, non-immunogenic manner in the immediate vicinity of the vaccine antigen(s). The invention also relates to a vaccine composition comprising immuno-protected encapsulated cells producing an immunomodulator and an antigenic component. The invention also relates to a kit comprising a cell as described and an antigenic component. The strategy of the invention is perfectly suited for both cancer immunotherapy and vaccination against infectious agents.

The present invention relates to compositions, methods, and kits for eliciting an immune response to at least one CMV antigen expressed by a cancer cell, in particular for treating and preventing cancer. CMV determination methods, compositions, and kits also are provided.

Disclosed are synthetic nanocarrier compositions with coupled adjuvant compositions as well as related methods.

Methods and compositions using artificial antigen presenting cells in immunotherapy. The artificial antigen presenting cells comprise substrate particles bound to endogenous MHC-peptide complexes obtained from one or more cells. Methods include administering the artificial antigen presenting cells to a patient to activate antigen-specific T cells.

The present invention provides an immunogenic composition comprising, consisting essentially of or consisting of: a) a cell expressing an interferon-β (IFN-β) receptor agonist, and b) a tumour antigen. The invention also provides methods of treatment using said compositions.