Materials and methods useful for generating highly mannosylated pseudotyped lentiviral vector particles comprising a Vpx protein are provided.

Generation and identification of highly effective immune effector cell in terms of target cell-killing activity can be enhanced by optimizing the proximity between a target cell and the immune effector cell. The cancer-killing T cells described herein can provide highly effective therapies for diverse cancer types, e.g., solid cancers, hematological cancers, and metastatic forms thereof. Provided herein are ex-vivo methods of generating cancer-killing T cells, compositions comprising such immune cells; methods of using the cells, methods of selecting optimal agents for enhancing the target cell killing activity, methods of selecting an optimized immune cell and methods of using this approach to evaluate patient responsiveness to other cancer therapies.

The invention relates to the field of biomedicine and particularly to a hydrophobically modified antimicrobial peptide and a use thereof. The technical problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a hydrophobically modified antimicrobial peptide, the hydrophobic modification is to couple a hydrophobic fragment at the nitrogen terminal of the antimicrobial peptide. The invention further provides a micelle prepared from the hydrophobically modified antimicrobial peptide, and use of the hydrophobically modified antimicrobial peptide and the micelle in preparing antimicrobial drugs, nucleic acid transporter, immune adjuvant and the like. Due to small molecular weight, the antimicrobial peptide of the invention can be conveniently synthesized by Fmoc solid phase polypeptide, and coupled to a hydrophobic fragment by the chemical synthesis method in a simple and feasible way.

Provided herein are HER-3, HER-1 and IGF-1R B cell epitopes, peptide mimics, chimeric peptides and multivalent peptides. In some embodiments, the chimeric peptides include one or more HER-3, HER-1 and/or IGF-1R B cell epitopes, a linker, and a T helper cell (Th cell) epitope. Pharmaceutical compositions are also provided that contain one or more HER-3, HER-1 and/or IGF-1R chimeric peptides, and optionally, one or more HER-2 chimeric peptides and/or VEGF peptides. Also included herein are methods of treating a cancer using the HER-3, HER-1 and IGF-1R B cell epitopes, chimeric peptides and multivalent peptides.

Provided herein are HER-3, HER-1 and IGF-1R B cell epitopes, peptide mimics, chimeric peptides and multivalent peptides. In some embodiments, the chimeric peptides include one or more HER-3, HER-1 and/or IGF-1R B cell epitopes, a linker, and a T helper cell (Th cell) epitope. Pharmaceutical compositions are also provided that contain one or more HER-3, HER-1 and/or IGF-1R chimeric peptides, and optionally, one or more HER-2 chimeric peptides and/or VEGF peptides. Also included herein are methods of treating a cancer using the HER-3, HER-1 and IGF-1R B cell epitopes, chimeric peptides and multivalent peptides.

The present invention provides therapeutic and diagnostic methods and compositions for cancer. The invention provides, inter alia, methods of treating cancer and methods of monitoring the response of a patient having a cancer to treatment with a VEGF antagonist (e.g., an anti-VEGF antibody).

The present invention provides a chimeric cytokine receptor (CCR) comprising: (i) an exodomain which binds to a ligand selected from a tumour secreted factor, a chemokine and a cell-surface antigen; and (ii) a cytokine receptor endodomain.

The present invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition including (e.g., for use as an adjuvant) a (negatively charged) nucleic acid comprising complex comprising as a carrier cationic or polycationic compounds (e.g. peptides, proteins or polymers) and as a cargo at least one nucleic acid (molecule) and at least one antigen that is selected from an antigen from a pathogen associated with infectious disease; an antigen associated with allergy or allergic disease; an antigen associated with autoimmune disease; or an antigen associated with a cancer or tumour disease, or in each case a fragment, variant and/or derivative of said antigen. The pharmaceutical composition allows for efficient induction of an adaptive immune response directed against said antigen. The present invention furthermore provides kits, as well as the use of the pharmaceutical composition or the kit as a vaccine, particularly in the treatment of infectious diseases, allergies, autoimmune diseases and tumour or cancer diseases.

The present application relates generally to genetically modified arenaviruses that are suitable vaccines against neoplastic diseases, such as cancer. The arenaviruses described herein may be suitable for vaccines and/or treatment of neoplastic diseases and/or for the use in immunotherapies. In particular, provided herein are methods and compositions for treating a neoplastic disease by administering a genetically modified arenavirus in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, wherein the arenavirus has been engineered to include a nucleotide sequence encoding a tumor antigen, tumor associated antigen or antigenic fragment thereof.

The present invention relates to methods for reducing or eliminating the non-specific release of a cytokine associated with a disease comprising administering at least one glucocorticoid and an immunostimulating antibody. Additionally, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition that contains at least one immunostimulating antibody and at least one glucocorticoid.