The present invention includes compositions and methods for the expression, secretion and use of novel compositions for use as, e.g., vaccines and antigen delivery vectors, to delivery antigens to antigen presenting cells. In one embodiment, the vector is an anti-CD40 antibody, or fragments thereof, and one or more antigenic peptides linked to the anti-CD40 antibody or fragments thereof, including humanized antibodies.

The present invention relates to Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) that are recombinant chimeric proteins able to redirect immune cell specificity and reactivity toward CLL1 positive cells. The engineered immune cells endowed with such CARs are particularly suited for immunotherapy for treating cancer, in particular leukemia.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to nucleic acid vaccines. The vaccines include one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding one or more Chikungunya antigen(s), one or more Zika virus antigens, and one or more Dengue antigens. Methods for preparing and using such vaccines are also described.

The present invention relates to a novel genotype of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome viruses and use thereof as an immunogenic composition. The severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome viruses of the present invention are genetically different from conventional severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome viruses and are novel viruses taxonomically belonging to three sub-groups of genotype B. In view of the vaccine property that specific genotype viruses alone show only limited protective potential, the novel viruses of the present invention may be advantageously used as a vaccine having excellent cross-immunogenicity for SFTSV.

The invention relates to a composition which induces, in a host, a cytotoxic cell response directed against cells expressing an antigen, in particular tumour cells, and which comprises red blood cells containing said antigen. These red blood cells may be in the form of an immune complex with an immunoglobulin, in particular IgG, which recognizes an epitope at the surface of the red blood cells, and/or be heat-treated or chemically treated so as to promote phagocytosis of said red blood cells by dendritic cells. As a variant, the red blood cells may be xenogenic red blood cells. The invention also relates to a therapeutic especially anti-tumour vaccine containing such a composition.

The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising a) a binding peptide binding to at least one protein selected from the group consisting of CD22, CD19, CD20, and CD21, and b) an immunogenic peptide comprising at least one T-cell epitope for use in vaccination of a subject against B-cell hyperproliferation or for use in the modulation of the immune response in a subject. The present invention further relates to a polynucleotide and a vector encoding said polypeptide and a host cell comprising the same. It also relates to a method for the stimulation of antigen-specific T-cells, comprising a) contacting antigen presenting cells (APC) with a polypeptide, the polynucleotide, or the vector of the invention, b) contacting said APC with T-cells, and c) thereby stimulating antigen-specific T-cells specific for said at least one T-cell epitope; to a method for immunizing a subject against B-cell hyperproliferation, to a method for immunizing a subject against an infectious agent, and to a method for inducing tolerance in a subject.

Peptides that specifically bind erythrocytes are described. These are provided as peptidic ligands having sequences that specifically bind, or as antibodies or fragments thereof that provide specific binding, to erythrocytes. The peptides may be prepared as molecular fusions with therapeutic agents, tolerizing antigens, or targeting peptides. Immunotolerance may be created by use of the fusions and choice of an antigen on a substance for which tolerance is desired.

Embodiments relate to novel vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV-related diseases, including multiple types of cancers. The HPV vaccines are composed of anti-human dendritic cell (DC) surface receptor antibodies, including CD40, and E6/7 proteins of HPV16 and 18. The technology described is not limited to making vaccines against HPV16- and HPV18-related diseases and can be applied to making vaccines carrying E6/7 from any type of HPV. The HPV vaccines described can target DCs, major and professional antigen presenting cells (APCs), and can induce and activate potent HPV E6/7-specific and strong CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. The HPV vaccines can be used for the prevention of HPV infection and HPV-related diseases as well as for the treatment of HPV-related diseases, including cancers.

Neoglycoconjugates as immunogens and therapeutic/diagnostic tools are described herein. The neoglycoconjugates are produced by conjugating a carbohydrate antigen intermediate to a free amine group of a carrier material (e.g., carrier protein). The intermediate comprises a linker having a first end and a second end, the first end being conjugated to a carbohydrate antigen via a thio ether bond and the second end comprising a functional group reactable with a free amine group. Following coupling, the carbohydrate antigen becomes covalently bound to the carrier material via an amide, a carbamate, a sulfonamide, a urea, or a thiourea bond, thereby producing the neoglycoconjugate. Applications of the neoglycoconjugates as antigens, immunogens, vaccines, and in diagnostics are also described. Specifically, the use of (neo)glycoconjugates as vaccine candidates and other therapeutic tools against cancers, viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, and other diseases characterized by expression of aberrant glycosylation are also described.

Neoglycoconjugates as immunogens and therapeutic/diagnostic tools are described herein. The neoglycoconjugates are produced by conjugating a carbohydrate antigen intermediate to a free amine group of a carrier material (e.g., carrier protein). The intermediate comprises a linker having a first end and a second end, the first end being conjugated to a carbohydrate antigen via a thio ether bond and the second end comprising a functional group reactable with a free amine group. Following coupling, the carbohydrate antigen becomes covalently bound to the carrier material via an amide, a carbamate, a sulfonamide, a urea, or a thiourea bond, thereby producing the neoglycoconjugate. Applications of the neoglycoconjugates as antigens, immunogens, vaccines, and in diagnostics are also described. Specifically, the use of (neo)glycoconjugates as vaccine candidates and other therapeutic tools against cancers, viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, and other diseases characterized by expression of aberrant glycosylation are also described.