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

The present invention provides a complex for use in the prevention and/or treatment of cancer, the complex comprising a) a cell penetrating peptide, b) at least one antigen or antigenic epitope, and c) at least one TLR peptide agonist, wherein the components a)-c) are covalently linked. In particular, compositions for use in the prevention and/or treatment of cancer, such as a pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines are provided.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for targeting antigenically variable pathogens and diseases. Embodiments of the present disclosure involve of the construction of variable epitope libraries (VELs) containing mutated versions of epitopes derived from antigens associated with various diseases for treating subjects in both therapeutic and prophylactic settings. The present disclosure also provides compositions and methods for the production of VELs based on CTL-derived epitopes of survivin, an oncogenic inhibitor-of-apoptosis. Given the large number of potential epitopes expressed in tumors, and the dynamic nature of the tumor epitope landscape, there is a need to develop compositions and methods for targeting various antigenic epitopes to counteract immune escape.

A polypeptide for use in medicine is provided. The polypeptide is administered simultaneously, separately or sequentially with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The polypeptide comprises at least one polypeptide comprising a region of at least 12 amino acids of a self-antigen or a sequence having at least 80% identity to the region. The polypeptide is less than 100 amino acids in length.

A method of treating cancer comprising and reducing autoimmune side effects in administration of anti-CTLA-4 antibodies. The invention provides methods for low dose immune checkpoint (IC) treatment of metastatic cancer by delivering anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies to cancer patients. Methods also provide for IL-2 stimulation for the activation of T cells against tumor cells. The invention further provides methods for daily cyclic high fever response (hyperthermia) during IL-2 therapy. The methods provide treatment of metastatic cancer without unacceptable autoimmune side effects.

Disclosed herein are nucleic acid molecules comprising one or more nucleic acid sequences that encode synthetic consensus Survivin antigens. Vectors, compositions, and vaccines comprising one or more nucleic acid sequences that encode synthetic consensus Survivin antigens are disclosed. Methods of treating a subject with a Survivin-expressing tumor and methods of preventing a Survivin-expressing tumor are disclosed. Synthetic consensus Survivin antigens are disclosed.

The present invention relates to antigen-based immunotherapy, in particular cancer immunotherapy. In particular, the present invention provides antigenic peptides, which are distinct from, but have amino acid similarity to, fragments of human tumor antigens. The present invention further provides immunogenic compounds, nanoparticles, cells and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such antigenic peptides and nucleic acids encoding such antigenic peptides.

The present disclosure provides novel cell compositions engineered to express at least a chimeric antigen receptor and a survival factor. Methods of using such cell compositions are also described.

This document relates to methods and materials involved in treating cancer (e.g., melanoma). For example, methods and materials involved in using an anti-chronic inflammation treatment (e.g., chemotherapy) in combination with a cancer treatment agent (e.g., a cancer vaccine) to treat cancer are provided.

This invention teaches systems and methods for identifying, targeting and destroying cancer cells. As cells progress from a normal to a cancerous state their accelerated metabolic rates and adapted pathways generate a higher heat signature that serves as a targeting beacon for a specialized cell killing vector. Suitable vectors include modified or adapted viruses, modified or adapted intracellular bacteria and/or engineered liposomes. Especially preferred is the bacterial vector because of its ease of production. The bacterial vector is selectively targeted to recognize cells whose temperature is slightly elevated and ambient pH suppressed due to cancer related alterations to metabolism. An additional targeting feature, such as recognition of the MCT4 transmembrane protein exaggeratively expressed on the cancer cell outer membrane, may provide additional targeting specificity. Embodiments featuring facultative extracellular and intracellular growth capable bacteria have the preferred feature that culture conditions for producing the vector can be optimized solely for the one organism and need not be compromised to support or optimize host cell maintenance.