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.

Synthetic mini circular RNA vaccine constructs are provided. The synthetic mini circular RNA constructs encode one or more antigens and are used, for example, as vaccines against cancer or infectious agents. In some aspects, the one or more antigens are translated as concatemer peptides by rolling cycle translation (RCT) of the mini circular RNA.

Synthetic mini circular RNA vaccine constructs are provided. The synthetic mini circular RNA constructs encode one or more antigens and are used, for example, as vaccines against cancer or infectious agents. In some aspects, the one or more antigens are translated as concatemer peptides by rolling cycle translation (RCT) of the mini circular RNA.

Melanoma vaccines are provided. Compositions and methods are provided for making and using melanoma vaccine constructs, alone, or in combination with at least one adjuvant. Compositions and methods can be in combination with other therapeutic compositions. The melanoma vaccine constructs of DNA or protein.

This document provides methods and materials for expanding antigen-specific T cells (e.g., antigen-specific CD4+ T cells and/or antigen-specific CD8+ T cells) in culture. For example, methods and materials for performing a polyclonal stimulation step for a particular duration (e.g., from about 1 hour to about 48 hours) to increase the expansion of T cells having a desired antigen specificity are provided.

Disclosed are means, methods and compositions of matter useful for amplification of adaptive immune responses towards neoplastic tissue. In one embodiment, immunization of a patient is performed by a means comprising of administering either an exogenous vaccine or stimulation of immunogenicity of the tumor so as to cause release of antigens/increased exposure of antigens, thus resulting in an endogenous vaccine. Subsequent to vaccination a patient is treated by an immunopheresis procedure, in order to allow for removal of blocking factors produced by the tumor or produced by cells programmed by tumors to produce said blocking factors. In one embodiment further immunization is performed subsequent to removal of said blocking factors in order to allow for enhancement of adaptive immune responses

The present invention provides compositions and methods for immunotherapy, which include shelf-stable pharmaceutical compositions for inducing antigen-specific T cells. Such compositions are employed as components of an artificial antigen presenting cell (aAPC), to provide a patient with complexes for presentation of an antigen (e.g., a tumor antigen) and/or a T cell co-stimulatory molecule.

Disclosed are immunotherapeutic compositions and the concurrent use of combinations of such compositions for the improved induction of therapeutic immune responses and/or for the prevention, amelioration and/or treatment of disease, including, but not limited to, cancer and infectious disease.

Vaccine design, polycistronic vaccine constructs, compositions, and methods comprising nucleic acids (DNA, RNA), peptides, proteins and derivatives thereof, including cells and cell-lines, for enhanced antigen-specific vaccination.

Compositions, e.g., therapeutic agents, and methods are provided for modulating gene and protein expression of Forkhead Box protein 1 (Foxp1). The therapeutic agents include short nucleic acid molecules that modulate gene and protein expression of Forkhead Box protein 1 (Foxp1) expression, viral vectors containing such molecules, T cells transduced with these viruses for adoptive therapies, and any small molecules that bind to and inactivate Foxp1. These compounds and methods have applications in cancer therapy either alone or in combination with other therapies that stimulate the endogenous immune system in the environment of the cancer, e.g., tumor.