The methods and kits disclosed in the present disclosure allow quantified exchange of peptides into MHC proteins. These methods and kits allow MHC proteins with exchanged peptides to be used in further applications such as cell staining. The methods and kits may also be used to quantify peptides present in complex mixtures.

The compositions described herein include an epitope of a peptide that may elicit an immune response in a subject following administration. The compositions may comprise nucleic acids. The compositions may comprise peptides. The methods described herein include administering a composition comprising an epitope of a peptide to a subject in need thereof.

The present invention provides recombinant proteins or peptides comprising a mutated listeriolysin O (LLO) protein or fragment thereof, comprising a substitution or internal deletion of the cholesterol-binding domain or a portion thereof, fusion proteins or peptides comprising same, nucleotide molecules encoding same, and vaccine vectors comprising or encoding same. The present invention also provides methods of utilizing recombinant proteins, peptides, nucleotide molecules, and vaccine vectors of the present invention to induce an immune response to a peptide of interest.

The invention relates to a virus like particle (VLP) based vaccine. The virus-like particle constitutes a non-naturally occurring, ordered and repetitive antigen array display scaffold which can obtain a strong and long-lasting immune response in a subject. The VLP based vaccine may be used for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of a disease including, but is not limited to, cancer, cardiovascular, infectious, asthma, and/or allergy diseases/disorders.

The object aims to provide: a novel tumor antigen; a novel therapeutic agent useful in a method for treating a malignant neoplasm by utilizing the tumor antigen; and a tumor antigen which can be used as the therapeutic agent. Thus, disclosed are: a novel tumor antigen which has an epitope capable of inducing a Th1 cell which is a CD4-positive T cell specific to Survivin; and use of the tumor antigen. Specifically disclosed is a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:17 or the like and has an activity to cause the production of a cytokine by a Th cell that is a cell specific to Survivin. The peptide can induce a Th cell that is specific to Survivin and can cause the production of a cytokine by the Sur/Th cell when the peptide is incubated together with an antigen-presenting cell and a CD4-positive T cell.

An immunogen includes an immunogenic carrier and an antigenic apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC) peptide linked to the immunogenic carrier. In one or more embodiments, the immunogenic carrier is a Q? virus-like particle (VLP). The immunogen may be formulated into a composition useful for treating inflammatory medical conditions.

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 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 provides methods for improving the efficacy of a vaccine in the treatment of cancer. The methods of the invention comprise the administration of at least two doses of an agent that interferes with DNA replication prior to vaccination with a survivin vaccine. Also provided are compositions for use in the methods of the invention.

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid sequence, comprising or coding for a coding region, encoding at least one peptide or protein comprising a tumour antigen or a fragment, variant or derivative thereof, at least one histone stem-loop and a poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal. Furthermore the present invention provides the use of the nucleic acid for increasing the expression of said encoded peptide or protein. It also discloses its use for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition, especially a vaccine, e.g. for use in the treatment of cancer or tumour diseases. The present invention further describes a method for increasing the expression of a peptide or protein comprising a tumour antigen or a fragment, variant or derivative thereof, using the nucleic acid comprising or coding for a histone stem-loop and a poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal.