The invention relates to a composition which induces, in a host, a cytotoxic cell response directed against cells expressing an antigen, in particular tumor 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-tumor vaccine containing such a composition.

The present application relates generally to methods for treating tumors, and in particular to methods for using peptides of both survivin and MAGE-A9 in dual-targeted immunotherapy that generates targeted T cell response against these two tumor antigens.

A method is presented for screening cells that produce allogeneic autophagosome enriched compositions able to induce expression of a selective marker on a subpopulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the method comprising contacting a cell with a proteasome inhibitor, contacting the cell with a lysosome inhibitor, harvesting the resulting autophagosomes, determining a molecular signature of the harvested autophagosomes, and selecting cells that divert one or more Toll-like receptor agonist and/or one or more molecular chaperones to the harvested autophagosomes. By screening for cells that divert one or more Toll-like receptor agonist and/or one or more molecular chaperones to the harvested autophagosomes, enriched populations of autophagosomes may be generated which may illicit a specific immune response against numerous cancer types. In this way, an allogeneic, off-the-shelf cancer vaccine may be produced and made available to be administered in order to stimulate a targeted immune response in patients bearing different tumor types.

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

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.

The present invention pertains to: an anti-cancer vaccine composition comprising [peptides derived from a tumor-associated antigen (TAA)] and [an adjuvant consisting of a lipopeptide and an immunoactive substance]; and a use thereof. Specifically, the peptides derived from a tumor-associated antigen specifically bind to a human leukocyte antigen (HLA), a combination of the peptides having the above characteristics is mixed with the adjuvant in an optimal ratio to prepare a vaccine composition, and the vaccine composition is used for preventing or treating cancer.

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.

This disclosure provides methods for treating cancer in a subject comprising administering to the subject an anti-PD-1 antibody and an anti-CD27 antibody. In some embodiments, the cancer is colorectal cancer, rectal cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, ovarian cancer, head and neck cancer, or any combination thereof.

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

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.